Apps like Snapchat and Tiktok get a bad rep with parents but, social media is not the devilspawn. Many adults do not fully grasp the substantial social benefits of social media. Snapchat, a multi-media messaging platform is such a big part of gen z culture. Around 60% of teens in America use the app daily. The Pew Research Center found in their study on social media that these teenagers use Snapchat 90% more than the apple messaging app, but why? The platform’s features align with the unique social behavior of adolescents, with its enfasis on authenticity and informality. 

Teenage culture centers around being cool, and not trying to hard. Sending photos instead of initiating a conversation puts less stress on the user because it is casual and engaging but not “try-hard” or “cringe.” Snapchat eliminates the teen- specific embarrassment that exists with making conversation and building connections with peers, allowing for a more natural interaction. For most teens, their worlds revolve around their social lives. This natural interaction and simplicity of the Snapchat platform allows teens to not only shamelessly connect with new friends, but maintain relationships and reconnect with old friends.

Snapchat, like many other apps, recommends adding mutual friends and which help users build their social circle. Their unique streak feature makes consistency effortless and engaging, however not addictive like most parents argue. Maintaining streaks are a one and done thing, not an compulsive and draining which scrolling promotes. Studies by Harvard University and the National Institutes of Health show that doomscrolling can negatively impact attention span, memory, and mental health. Unlike platforms like Tiktok, Instagram and X, Snapchat builds a creative social environment without having features that have serious and longterm cognitive effects.