Snapchat exploded in popularity as a way for people to send photo and video messages that disappeared after being viewed. This led to Snapchat gaining a reputation as a “sexting app” early on, since the disappearing messages seemed ideal for sharing NSFW content.
However, in recent years Snapchat has evolved into much more than just a sexting app. It now has over 150 million daily active users, with content consumption and communication being bigger draws than risque photos. Still, the question remains whether Snapchat is able to fully shed its association with sexting.
The origin of Snapchat as a sexting app
Snapchat was launched in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown and Bobby Murphy, who were students at Stanford University at the time. The app’s key feature was that any photo or video sent would disappear after being viewed by the recipient. This created an illusion of impermanence and privacy when sharing photos.
In the early days, Snapchat was quickly embraced for sexting purposes by teens and young adults. Sending nudes or other suggestive photos on Snapchat provided a sense of security, as the evidence would disappear in seconds. This reputation grew as stories emerged of people misusing the app for sex chatting and sharing inappropriate content.
By 2012, early media coverage of Snapchat focused heavily on its use for sexting. For example, articles were published with headlines like:
- “Snapchat, the app teens use for sexting”
- “Snapchat, the sexting app, has made it harder for screenshots to be taken”
- “Sexting apps trigger rise in child abuse images”
This cemented Snapchat’s image as primarily a digital platform for racy photo swapping. And at the time, the app’s creators didn’t do much to dispel that idea.
How Snapchat eventually grew beyond sexting
While Snapchat in the early days was mainly depicted as enabling casual sexting, the app quickly evolved into something much broader.
By late 2012, Snapchat started being used for sending funny photos, short videos, selfies, and meme-like content between friends. It turned out that impermanent sharing was appealing for all kinds of lighthearted, fun communications—not just nudes.
Seeing the potential for Snapchat to become a major multimedia mobile messaging app, Mark Zuckerberg reportedly tried to acquire Snapchat for $3 billion in 2013. However, Snapchat rejected the offer.
The company clearly had bigger plans for spreading beyond sexting to compete with the likes of Facebook. Here are some key developments that helped broaden Snapchat’s scope:
- Stories – The launch of “Stories” in 2013 let users share multiple photos/videos in a sequence that lasted 24 hours. Stories made Snapchat feel more like social media than just a messaging app.
- Discover – 2015 saw the launch of Discover, which featured curated content from media publishers, celebrities and brands. Discover established Snapchat as a multimedia content platform.
- Lenses – Fun selfie filters and lenses were added in 2015 as well, boosting engagement among Snapchat’s young user base.
- Memories – Snapchat Memories was launched in 2016 as a private photo/video storage feature. This further enhanced Snapchat as a media app and not just ephemeral messaging.
Thanks to features like these, Snapchat successfully shed its one-dimensional reputation as merely a sexting app. Of course, sexting was still happening on Snapchat—but it no longer defined the broader app experience.
Does sexting still happen on Snapchat today?
Despite Snapchat’s evolution, there is no denying that a certain segment of users continue to use it for NSFW purposes like sexting. So is Snapchat still used for sexting in 2022?
Research has shown a decrease in using Snapchat specifically for sexting purposes compared to 5-10 years ago. However, data indicates it remains one of the most popular apps amongst teens and young adults for intimate photo sharing:
- A 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics surveyed over 5,300 middle and high school students in Texas. It found that while 12.5% of respondents used Snapchat for sexting, this was lower than other apps like Instagram (19.2%) and Kik (18.8%).
- In a 2020 national survey of over 170,000 U.S. junior high and high school students by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, 7% of respondents reported sending sexually explicit photos of themselves through Snapchat.
- UK-based Internet Matters conducted a poll in 2020 which found 22% of teens aged 13-17 admitting to using Snapchat for sexting.
This data indicates that Snapchat is still used by a significant minority of youth for intimate communications and sharing sexual content. It has not been eliminated from the app entirely.
There are a few reasons why Snapchat may remain a continued presence in underage sexting activity compared to other apps:
- The perceived ephemerality of Snaps likely provides an ongoing illusion of privacy.
- Snapchat does not require any age verification for sign up.
- The app’s fun, visual nature appeals strongly to younger users.
Among adult users, anecdotal evidence suggests Snapchat also facilitates a robust culture of sexting/flirting and romantic connections. However, quantitative data is lacking.
Snapchat’s safety and anti-sexting features
Recognizing that sexting among teens was still happening on Snapchat, the company has implemented various features and policies aimed at improving safety and blocking inappropriate use:
- Quick deletion – Users can now instantly delete sent messages before they are opened.
- Blocking abuse – Snapchat users can easily block others and report offensive, pornographic or abusive content.
- Location sharing – Sharing location with others is now an opt-in feature to avoid unwanted tracking.
- Law enforcement guide – Detailed guide created for law enforcement about best practices for handling illegal sexting incidents.
- Safety Center – Resources available in Safety Center about safely using Snapchat’s features.
- Expert partnerships – Worked with online safety organizations to enhance protections against explicit content.
- Raising awareness – Educational blog posts and parental guides on Snapchat’s site about sexting risks.
Snapchat has made legitimate efforts to combat non-consensual and underage sexting. However, the app’s core feature of ephemeral messaging likely continues to make it attractive for risque content sharing.
Screenshot notification
One of Snapchat’s most important anti-sexting features is screenshot notification. Since recipients can take screenshots of snaps without the sender knowing, this was enabling abusive sexting behaviors.
To address this, Snapchat introduced screenshot notifications in 2012. Now when someone takes a screenshot of a snap, the sender is notified. This aimed to make sexting on Snapchat less appealing by eliminating the illusion that nude selfies disappeared forever.
However, various workarounds exist to get around screenshot notifications. There are third party apps, techniques using airplane mode, and even phone hacks that allow covert saving of Snapchat pictures.
So screenshot notification is not a foolproof deterrent to sexting on the platform. But it likely has reduced the prevalence to some degree.
Is Snapkidz safe from sexting?
SnapKidz is a version of Snapchat specifically designed for users under 13 years old. It blocks features like adding friends, location sharing, and creating public profiles in order to create a safer, more controlled environment.
SnapKidz does not allow sending photos or videos—only text chats, drawing, and emoji. This makes sexting on the platform essentially impossible. However, very limited adoption among the under 13 demographic has resulted in Snapchat discontinuing SnapKidz in 2019.
Sexting prevention
Snapchat and other tech companies cannot prevent sexting on their own. Parents, educators, lawmakers, and society as a whole need to address the root causes of young people exchanging intimate content, and better educate them on the potential consequences, including:
- Reputational damage
- Bullying/abuse
- Mental health issues
- Legal issues
Comprehensive sexting prevention should focus on age-appropriate education about relationships, peer pressure, self-esteem, and responsible use of technology. The goal should be getting kids to understand risks and think critically—not just scaring them away from normal sexual exploration.
Here are some evidence-based tips for parents and educators on sexting prevention among teens according to the UK’s NSPCC:
- Have regular, open discussions about relationships, peer pressure and technology use.
- Make sure teens know they can come to you if they receive an explicit image.
- Reassure teens they will not get in trouble if they report a sexting problem.
- Help teens practice responding if asked for explicit images.
- Set clear expectations for appropriate app and device use.
- Monitor screen time and social media but avoid over-intrusive snooping.
| Age | % who have sexted |
|---|---|
| 13-17 | 7% |
| 18-22 | 28% |
This table shows data from a 2020 study on the percentage of minors (13-17) vs young adults (18-22) who engage in sexting. It demonstrates that while sexting is an issue among minors, it is far more common in the 18-22 age range.
Conclusion
Sexting on Snapchat is certainly less widespread today compared to 5-10 years ago when the app was first gaining notoriety. Snapchat is now better recognized as a diverse mobile messaging and social media platform, even if some sexting use remains.
Data indicates that a sizable minority of teens continue to use Snapchat at times for intimate communications and nude selfie sharing. This may be driven by the app’s fundamental ephemeral messaging capabilities.
While Snapchat has implemented a number of protections against non-consensual and underage sexting, workaround loopholes persist. Ultimately, education and open communication with youth are needed beyond just technical deterrents.
In conclusion, Snapchat has made major progress maturing past its early days as a “sexting app.” But remnants of its reputation likely still contribute to ongoing sexting activity among a subset of users.