A few days ago I happened to catch a tease for an upcoming segment of the Today Show about a popular app teens are using called Snapchat. Because I didn’t want to be late to work and didn’t have time to sit through Al Roker telling me what the weather would be like in my “neck of the woods,” I missed it.
As a former, parish youth minister, I was intrigued by what this app was all about. During my years of ministry, I felt that a huge part of my role in this ever-changing world was to educate teens on any potential dangers of new technology and more importantly, help them to use technology to glorify God.
I did some research about Snapchat and I believe it’s something that all youth ministers need to know about. Here are a few things I discovered:
What is Snapchat?
The official description of Snapchat is as follows:
“Snapchat is the fastest way to share a moment with friends.
You control how long your friends can view your message –
simply set the timer up to ten seconds and send.They’ll have that long to view your message and then it disappears forever.
We’ll let you know if they take a screenshot!Build relationships, collect points, and view your best friends.
Snapchat is instantly fun and insanely playful. Show your friends how clever you can be and enjoy the lightness of being!”
So, the basic idea is that you can text a picture of yourself to someone else, determine how long that person can view it for, and know that it will be deleted “forever.”
Why is this a problem?
The biggest problem with an app like this is that it allows teens, especially those that are tempted to engage in sexting, to perpetuate a false identity online while also giving them a false sense of security. Once a picture is taken and texted to another person it can’t just “disappear forever.” The receiver of the message could take a screenshot of their phone or take a picture of their phone with another device. Plus, there’s the reality of it going through Snapchat’s servers as well.
But Snapchat protects against screenshots, right?
While the description of Snapchat does say that they will “let you know if (your friend) takes a screenshot,” how are most teens likely to respond? What are they going to do about it? Once the picture is out there, it’s out there.
So, how popular is it?
As of this writing on December 7, 2012, Snapchat is listed as the #2 free photography app for iPhones just behind the YouTube app. Believe it or not, it’s ahead of Instagram! So, if you think, your teens don’t use it, the reality is, they probably do, although they may not necessarily use it inappropriately.
What can you do as a youth minister?
As a youth minister, you are a mentor and a role model to young people. Continue to pray and model the faith for them, but be sure to educate them on things like this as well. Help them to understand the potential dangers of apps like this, and equally as important, help them to understand how to use technology to glorify God. I’m sure that even Snapchat, if used in a holy way, can do that.
Also be sure to keep parents informed about things like Snapchat. In many circumstances, you are the bridge between parents and trends in youth culture. The more they know, the better they can parent.
Do you need to sound the alarm?
As a youth minister, it can be tempting to hear something like this and immediately denounce it. I remember the first time I heard of Myspace, I condemned my teens for using it.
I was wrong.
Things like Snapchat are a big part of a teenager’s world. As youth ministers, the idea is not to denounce these things but to educate teens on proper usage and potential dangers.
Above all continue to keep yourself informed of new technologies and be willing to address them with your teens. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s not supposed to be. And if it could save a teen from making a poor, life-altering, and irreversible decision, it’s worth a little discomfort.
Question: What other apps/website do you know of that are popular with teens? (Share below.)
Eric, nice insight into Snapchat. I learned about the App a couple weeks ago, so I downloaded it. Downloading the app (if you have a smartphone) is good research for any YM. It helps you understand exactly how the app works. In addition, it scans your contacts to find other people with Snapchat, so if you have teens in your contacts, you’ll know which ones are using it (obviously, follow any diocesan social media policies in place). You might be surprised how many are using it. You’ve already made some good points as to warning teens about using it. Like anything using the Internet, nothing is ever deleted “forever.” This app does have an inherent negativity in that it seems to want to “hide” and we all know what Adam and Eve did after they ate the fruit. However, like any technology, there is probably a chance to use it for good. I suggest taking a Snapchat of a holy card or medal and putting a quote with it (Snapchat allows you to type a message over the photo). Or maybe use it to take a picture of something from the environment at a Life Night with a message: “Sneak peak @Life Night…see you 7-9 p.m.” Just an idea, although something a YM would really want to discern. I say this because I’m not completely sold yet on this being a good technology or promoting it by using it. Then again, we can’t sit in fear and condemnation as Eric pointed out. While sexting and other negative things might be part of the MO of some Snapchat users, I think it’s primarily used for joking around and having fun (or so I hope). …Just some insight from trying to app.
Chris,
Great insight. Thank you for sharing, and I like your possible ideas to use the app in a more wholesome way.
While I totally agree with the potential dangers, I’d like to offer a “glass half full” scenario here. If I’m understanding this correctly, this may be an interesting app to use for youth ministry promotion/events. It sounds like you could post a special message/picture to your students that they have to get to by a specific time – like a deadline. Again, I totally agree with the dangers, but I’d like to see how this could also turn into a potential YM tool.
Tom,
That’s great thinking. It seems promotion of Youth Ministry events could be a fantastic way to use SnapChat.
Posting some of my talk with the use of SNAPCHAP
*The world we live in is ever changing with Technology and we must be aware of the seemingly good things out there so that we can fight evil and temptations.
*Technology is not bad but can be used for bad. In fact it can be used for good.
*We should be using technology to glorify God. There is mostlikely a way you could use snapchat for good. Let’s say you are in adoration, maybe snapchat your friend Jesus in the chapel on Friday. Or snapchat a beautiful sunset with a praise to God. So many ways.
*The bible says in Luke 8:17 “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be know and come to light”, Luke 12:3 “Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”, Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 11:9 “You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let you heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever you eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement.”
*The fact is that God knows what you are doing no matter how secret you think it is. Let’s face it…The temptations out there allow somebody to live a double life much easier than before the internet came along.
*How can you keep your integrity with Snapchat or any other technology out there?(firm code of values and morals especially behind closed doors)
*I love you and I wish I could save you all from making poor, life altering, irreversible decisions but I know I can’t. What I can do is pray for you and maybe that is the key? What we should really be doing in secret anyways is prayer and almsgiving?
*Here are some secret things we should be doing…Matthew 6:1-6…Prayer and Almsgiving…Leads very well right into lent next week. ENJOY!!
Excellent! Thank you!