Snap publishes guide for educators on teen Snapchat usage and how to prevent online risks

We’re now in back-to-school season and Snapchat is taking education seriously. It’s now aiming to help educators better understand how teens use Snapchat and is helping them be aware of the safety resources and protections that are available. We now have an Educator’s Guide to Snapchat with videos that show features that schools can use as well as safeguards for the young generation. The guide has materials that educators can also give to parents and counselors to help students deal with online risks such as bullying and worsened mental health. Snap is also asking for feedback from educators directly about how the app is used in school communities.

The company has also developed a toolkit in partnership with Safe and Sound Schools to provide educators with information on how to support the online safety of students. Of course, the guide also explains how Snapchat works.

More than 20 million US teens use Snapchat. Schools across the country have come up with different approaches to managing how teens use their phones during school (including putting phones in pouches while in class, or banning phones altogether during class).

It’s understandable that schools will try to manage phone use during school hours: we all know how addicting scrolling on social media, or chatting with friends, or binge-watching TikToks can be (well, I don’t watch TikTok but you get my drift). And it’s even more difficult when you outright ban something in my opinion. We all know how teens are: you say “no” and they’re bound to want to do the forbidden thing even more.

So I definitely agree with Snapchat’s approach. The company is looking to provide knowledge and information to people who might be unfamiliar with Snapchat or social media in general that teens nowadays use. When teachers get more knowledgeable on this, they may be more helpful when they’re facing a case of online bullying, for example.

The issue with the accessibility of easy distractions such as phones for young people is increasingly important too. After all, we go to school for a reason, and being distracted during classes with the latest cat trend may not be the most helpful thing you can be doing for your future self.