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
LIVE AT 2:30 MT 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
BREAKING Sask. man faces 60 charges in child exploitation investigation, with crimes dating back to 2005
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Protesters gather at Ottawa City Hall after Israeli flag raised to mark country's national day
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.