The Pros and Cons of Using Snapchat

The world of technology is always growing and is not showing any signs of ever slowing down. It seems as though anywhere and everywhere you look Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and other technology companies are releasing new innovative products that promise to make your life easier. Apps on our smartphones are starting to do the same and a perfect example of this is Snapchat. Through this relatively new app, you are able to communicate simply through pictures, videos, and instant messaging which allows for an easy to way to stay connected. Although some of these features may make it sound like the greatest thing in the world, it can sometimes seem far from it.

Communicating is the easiest that it has ever been and that is thanks to new apps like Snapchat. If you want to talk to someone, but do not have the time to go out somewhere to hang out or meet with them and you still want to see them, then Snapchat is the perfect platform for that. If you don't want to talk to anyone, but you still want people to know what you are doing, then you can put it on your story for all of your friends (and sometimes more) to see. While this may seem perfect and nothing will ever beat it, the reality is that it is far from it. David Murphy of LifeHacker wrote about some privacy issues that surround the app that can really turn some people off of it. First and foremost, your location will always be known to your friends. Snapchat has a map on its app which shows where you are AND what you are doing. I was out at a golf course playing 18 with my buddies, and when I went to look at the map, it showed my bitmoji golfing. This was concerning because I did not tell the app that is what I was doing, but it is becoming the new norm. So, now, your location is never private. Your account is also not as exclusive as it may seem. When you register your account you are asked to put you phone number into it. This may seem harmless considering that many social networking sites do the same, but with your phone number other people can add you without your username simply if they have you in their phone contacts. This can lead to having people you don't want to follow you now looking at your every move.

Snapchat relates to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations, specifically the social networking portion. With the app continuing to become more popular with each and every day, it takes on greater importance because it allows people to communicate freely. If the app were to crash or be taken away from us, we would have to resort to another form of communicating which would make its users very upset. Ideas can also be spread through Snapchat stories. Companies can pay to advertise their products on the app which will lead to more consumers looking at their products and considering purchasing them. Overall, Snapchat is a great way to communicate, but like every other social network, it has some privacy issues that it must work out.