Kids are rarely on Facebook, and even Twitter. They want to be on a cool platform with fantastic features to post pictures online, and share videos. This is their definition of entertainment, and many of them love to post selfies. Also, businesses are searching for the perfect platform, and both Snapchat and Instagram have their own massive following and market niche. Most of the users of these platforms are those under 25 who are extremely mobile-driven and obsessed with their smartphones. I will go through the features of Snapchat and Instagram and help you decide which platform is safer and better.-
Whenever you are on any social media platform, you will come across people who have nothing to do with your life. However, you will sure know a lot about them. That is what social media has done. Given you glimpses into people’s lives. Instagram users share their daily life on this app through photos, especially whatever they eat during the day, with popular hashtags, though other users aren’t really interested in what this person had for dinner. Hashtags are the in thing for Instagram users. In fact the right use of hashtags will help others find them as long as their profiles are set to public. According to Instagram’s policy, the user’s pictures can be public or private. The setting depends upon the user’s preference.
Snapchat
Snapchat is texting with pictures. Parents are concerned because kids spend a lot of time on Snapchat sharing their pictures, which is worrisome. On Snapchat, there are a set number of videos and pictures you can send or receive at a particular time. Every session lasts a few seconds and when it expires, the data is gone. Snapchat claims to be safe, but the privacy policies of social networks are often voluntarily ceased without the users being aware.
The huge danger of using Snapchat is that teens don’t even know that by agreeing to their privacy policy, they have allowed Snapchat to use their information. It’s important to keep in mind that whatever pictures your child shares on Snapchat, they are aware of the fact that it is accessible to anyone where ever they are. Snapchat offers “Stories” and “Snaps”. Snaps are the pictures or videos a user shares with a single person, though anyone can save the photo as a screenshot and share it easily. Stories are videos which a user shares with numerous people and can be viewed unlimited number of times before the session expires.
Analyzing Instagram and Snapchat
Instagram builds a library of images for its users, whereas Snapchat’s underlying characteristic is that the data shared by its users isn’t permanent, which, however, is easily violated by its users. The fact of the matter is that that Instagram is safer than Snapchat, and therefore a better choice for the average user. My daughter uses Instagram and has her profile set onto private and I see what she is doing. I am glad she doesn’t have an interest in Snapchat.
If you are a Snapchat user, or your child is, now you are aware of the risks.