Snapchat

Snapchat Turns Off Controversial Feature Fueling Teen Anxiety

Snapchat has adjusted its ‘Solar System’ feature, turning it off by default, in response to recent criticism and concerns over its potential negative impact on teens’ mental health and relationships. The Solar System feature serves as a friend-ranking tool, driving teen anxiety by making them worry about their social status. One teen explains, “It’s everyone’s biggest fear put onto an app.”

Sad teen with a phone in her bedroom - stock photo Single sad teen holding a mobile phone

‘Everyone’s Biggest Fear:’ Snapchat Fuels Teen Anxiety with ‘Friend-Ranking’ Feature

Snapchat’s friend ranking feature, part of its paid subscription service, is exacerbating feelings of insecurity and anxiety among teenagers by quantifying their social status within their friend group. The feature is just another example of how Silicon Valley titans place tremendous pressure on today’s teens to be part of the “in crowd,” leading one teen to explain, “It’s everyone’s biggest fear put onto an app.” 

Sad desperate young girl suffering from bulling and harassment at school - stock photo

Study: Social Media Companies Generate Billions in Ad Revenue from American Children

A recent study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has revealed that social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok X/Twitter, and YouTube collectively earned nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue from U.S. users under 18 in 2022. The study found that the social media Masters of the Universe earned $2.1 billion by showing ads to children under 12.

In this image from video, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during a House Energy and

Conservatives Critique Arkansas Social Media Safety Act over Google Exemption

Arkansas has joined Utah and Texas in passing a bill requiring age verification for children using social media in this case the Social Media Safety Act. However, the law has attracted criticism from some conservative policy analysts over its explicit carve out for the biggest social media platform for teenagers: Google-owned YouTube.

schoolkids using smartphones