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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Scheffler detained by police at PGA Championship for not following orders after traffic fatality
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was detained by police Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was led to a police car. ESPN reported he failed to follow police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to Internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.
Jessica Biel hopes to normalize the conversation around menstruation with a new children's book
Jessica Biel is the author of a new children’s book focused on destigmatizing and normalizing the conversation around menstruation.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from “moving wrong” during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.