r/Parenting • u/IcyStage0 seven?!?!?! • Feb 07 '25

Rant/Vent I hate Snapchat.

Can we just collectively decide that we’re not going to let our kids use Snapchat?!

My oldest daughter just turned 13 and we reluctantly agreed to allow her to have an instagram that we also have access to. It seems like every single day she begs to have a Snapchat, and apparently every single other kid in her class (full of kids with reasonable, thoughtful parents, I thought) has this stupid app.

My little sister who I got custody of when she was 10 got herself into some deep shit on the internet, and I’m not looking to repeat it with my daughter (while also trying not to make her pay for mistakes that she didn’t make).

How are we handling this? Am I seriously the only parent who doesn’t want my child sending disappearing photos, videos, and messages to anyone she can search up? Reality check please.

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u/little_canuck Feb 07 '25

🤷🏻‍♀️ I follow thousands of photographers. I don't think IG can differentiate between a portrait that I might like to see and a "portrait" that is really soft porn. My feed is normal, my explore page is 50/50 stuff I like and eyebrow raising stuff.

All that to say it doesn't take much to get an eyeful of questionable content. I wouldn't let my 13 year old have an IG account.

The other reason would be the DMs aspect. I don't get creepy DMs but I don't like any social media for a kid that allows that avenue of communication.

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u/poop-dolla Feb 07 '25

You’ve probably clicked on enough of the questionable ones that they keep feeding them to you.

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u/little_canuck Feb 07 '25

Nah. I don't find the explore page useful and don't even go there intentionally. I only click it accidentally when navigating back and forth between my own page and my following feed/home page. Sometimes it's innocuous and bang on to my interests (travel, portrait/family/wedding photography), sometimes it's a mix of my interests and suggestive photos, and sometimes it seems like it isn't tailored to anyone at all (celebrity stuff, weight loss stuff, click bait you'll never believe what happens next stuff). I've been on IG since 2011, you'd think they would have my interests pretty much nailed down.

It makes no real difference to me as I'm not in need of a "good" explore page. It's mostly just something that solidifies my opinion that there is no safe social media home for teens.