Snapchat has created a culture where it is socially acceptable to take a selfie wherever and whenever you please. It is because of this app that people video record more of their lives than they experience first-hand. Snapchat gives us the ability to instantly share our lives with our friends, and it is for this reason that the symbol of the white ghost has gained worldwide recognition. However, while we can control what we post to our own "stories" and share with our friends, we cannot control what other people post of us to theirs.
Snapchat is a potential exploitation device, and it sits in the palm of everyone's hand. I say "potential," because it depends on the person utilizing it. We all know the people who post photos of themselves, either alone or in a social setting. There are also people who post videos of what they're doing and where. These people are sharing stories of their own lives at the expense of no one. On the other hand, there are people who share their stories through the exploitation of other people.
These are the people that make me dislike the Snapchat obsession. They are the people who post videos as a third party, meaning they are not involved in the situation being recorded or photographed at all. These people will sit on the couch at a party and take videos of everyone who is drunk. They will take photos of people on the street and add hateful captions. This is exploitation, and this is absolutely wrong. People have every right to share their own stories, but they have no reason to share those of others without any permission.
I merely encourage people to be cognizant, specifically of two things. First, consider what you post and send. I completely understand that some things posted about others by a third party may not be offensive or upsetting, and that's great. So take a second to consider whether or not your post could offend, embarrass, or shame someone. If it is potentially exploitative, do yourself and the other person a favor by not posting it. Second, when acting in ways that you wouldn't necessarily want everyone and their mother to see, be sure you're around people you trust. Don't hang around with people that could make you the butt of their Snapchat story joke. You definitely don't deserve that, regardless of what you're doing, so be aware.
The take away: Just because snapchat says you can, doesn't mean you should. Just because something is a "joke," that doesn't make it funny. Share your story and do it kindly.
