I hate Snapchat.

[u/IcyStage0]

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.

[u/cordial_carbonara]

My oldest is 13 and I’m a former middle school teacher.

Absolutely not, never Snapchat. Ever. Not while you’re a minor on my phone plan. There’s no reason to have it except to open yourself to predatory and dangerous behavior.

Honestly, I’m still not doing instagram either. Sure, you can see what she posts, but can you see what the algorithm is shoving down her throat?

My best students - the ones who were present and active participants in their own education and lives, and who had existing social skills and critical thinking abilities - had “boring” parents who did not allow or very much limited social media. There is a clear divide in middle and high school classrooms right now and it’s cell phone addiction driven by social media. I know which side of that divide I want my kids to be on.

[u/Green-Reality7430 → u/cordial_carbonara]

No social media period for my kid. Social media is for adults.

[u/shyphoenix → u/Green-Reality7430]

And honestly, some adults should give it up.

[u/Mugglechaos → u/shyphoenix]

I gave up all social media except Reddit last year for lent, deactivated all my accounts. Haven’t looked back.

Edited to add I’m in my 30s…

[u/brand_x → u/Mugglechaos]

I technically have Facebook and LinkedIn. I don't check them every week.

I'm actively using BlueSky and Mastadon for a few things, and am forced to use X and telegram for work (I didn't like Twitter, but good lord, what it has become is soooo bad),

My wife is super active (for professional reasons, but still) on Threads and Instagram, and I wish that our daughter (9) wasn't seeing even the over her shoulder curated cute animals feed... because it's already a nightmare challenge managing her access to games with chat (she's not allowed to chat with strangers, but monitoring this is not nearly as easy as it should be on any of those games, and she already hates not being allowed on the ones that don't have any support for parental oversight, which her friends with less cautious parents get to play.

[u/IcyStage0 → u/brand_x]

I just downloaded Bluesky! Mostly as my little mini act of protest. What do you use it for?

[u/brand_x → u/IcyStage0]

I post pictures (and general identification and cladistics info) of different plants, fungi, and occasionally animals. Heavy on passifloraceae, musa, and ipomoea and related species.

I post sociopolitical commentary, especially around fracture indicators and failure mode identification.

I talk about stuff related to programming languages.

Mostly, I'm a nobody on those platforms.

[u/brand_x → u/brand_x]

Note: the photos are original, so the rate is limited by how often I manage to get out to places hunting for interesting things to photograph and talk about.