New Snapchat feature raises concerns over impact on teen mental health

A new feature on a popular social media app is causing concern among mental health experts.

Snapchat’s Friend Solar System allows users to rank their top eight friends based on who they interact with the most. The feature mimics the eight planets in the solar system, with the closest friends shown on the planets closer to the sun.

Libby Churchill, a 15-year-old student at St. Mary’s High School in Kitchener, Ont., says she uses Snapchat everyday and thinks the Friend Solar System is a good idea.

“Personally, I like it because I can see where I am on people’s best friends list,” Churchill explains.

Matthew Johnson is the director of education for MediaSmarts, a digital media literacy organization that offers educational resources for Canadians. He says Snapchat has historically gamified social aspects that keep track of peoples’ interactions with other users.

“They encourage young people to compare themselves to others,” Johnson says.

Some experts are criticizing Snapchat’s new feature. Jessica Martin, with the Grove Youth and Wellness Hubs, warns it could potentially harm teen users’ mental health as well as their personal friendships.

“So-and-so is friends with so-and-so, and on Snapchat you’re higher. It just kind of gives that idea of feeling left out,” Martin told CTV News.

Snapchat says users will know where they’re listed on their friends’ rankings and the app will also tell them if someone in their top eight doesn’t have them ranked as high.

Emi Pereyra, a 16-year-old St. Mary’s High School student, argues she doesn’t put much thought into where her friends have her ranked.

“When I see that, I don’t take it to heart and I don’t feel like anyone should,” Pereyra says.

But Martin believes the app could impact everyone in different ways.

“’The person’s [ranked third], but I’m not even on their list. Am I really their true friend?’” she says as an example. “The feeling of not being good enough, the feeling of: ‘Where do I belong?’”

Experts say responsibility falls on social networks to make apps safer and healthier for younger people, but users also have to ask the right questions.

“There’s some responsibility on educating yourself on the implications of social media use and learning about how to restrict that if you’re able to,” Martin says.

The Friend Solar System is only available on Snapchat+, which requires a $6.99 monthly subscription. More than seven million users have already subscribed to Snapchat+, and several teens who spoke to CTV News on Thursday said they pay for the service.