Who could have guessed that an app originally characterized by silly filters and relatable content would soon be responsible for over 60 young people’s fentanyl related-deaths?

Snapchat was created in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown, and Bobby Murphy, all students of Stanford University at the time. Snapchat’s goal was to provide a social media platform that is authentic, fun, and doesn’t punish users for their previous “mistakes” by deleting content after a certain period of time.

At first, Snapchat was a fun and innocent social media platform. Users felt more connected to their peers and the world around them. Additionally, it featured more genuine content than other platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook. “At first I just kind of used it for filters, and I liked sending my friends photos with weird filters,” freshman Georgia Watson said.

Although Snapchat was created to be a positive platform, it has been linked to several mental health problems. Studies have shown that those who use Snapchat are much more susceptible to mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. This is largely due to the dopamine hits users receive when someone positively interacts with them through Snapchat, such as “saving a snap in chat” or “swiping up on a private story.” This constant stream of dopamine leaves users addicted to the app, leading to a cycle of anxiety.

Snapchat also includes several features that tend to increase users’ mental health problems. One of these is known as Snap Map, one of Snapchat’s most controversial features. Snap Map shares the locations of users with their friends on the app, if users choose to do this. Being able to see where one’s peers are creates an extreme fear of missing out, or FOMO. “Because you can have people’s locations I sometimes see people together, and I’m like, ‘Why didn’t I get invited?’” senior Ella Adams said.

Snapchat has also created a sense of urgency among Gen Z and other users. Users gain a “Snap Streak” if they send a certain friend a Snap every day. Streaks have become a regular part of many teenagers’ lives. Saving a streak feels extremely important, and users often are shamed if they lose these streaks. As a result, over 4.5 billion Snaps are sent every day. A study conducted by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill also found that 35% of teens report checking social media apps, such as Snapchat, almost constantly. This study also found that adolescents who compulsively check are more sensitive to social feedback and criticism.

Snapchat was never meant to be users’ primary means of communication. However, 50 percent of BSM students say Snapchat has become just that. “I used text messages a lot in middle school and then freshman year and sophomore year. But I would say sophomore is when I started using Snapchat as a new form of communication because I think it’s fun,” Adams said.

Originally, Snapchat’s feature of deleting content after twenty-four hours was supposed to make the app more fun and authentic. However, this feature has become very dangerous as well. Users are willing to take more risks with what they send because they won’t be held accountable later on. For example, cyberbullying is very common. “It can get really toxic fast. People can kind of say whatever they want because there’s no proof,” Watson said.

Snapchat is also transforming teen relationships. Overall, fewer teenagers are entering real relationships, with only 56% of Gen Z having been in a relationship compared to 78% of Baby Boomers. This could be partly due to the ease of reaching out to someone on Snapchat. Sending a short message or “ceiling picture” through Snapchat is significantly less vulnerable and intimidating than striking up a real conversation, so relationships tend to be less authentic and end faster. Snapchat has also increased many teenagers’ anxiety about their partner being faithful. “I think it’s made relationships a lot more toxic. It’s so easy to cheat because you don’t really know what’s going on on their phones. It’s like a whole ‘nother world,” Watson said.

Additionally, Snapchat has unintentionally become a dangerous platform. One of Snapchat’s most defining features is the fact that users can communicate with virtually anyone, no matter their age or location. Child predators claim Snapchat as their favorite social media platform because it’s very easy for them to coerce children into sending sexually explicit photos. In 2024, research found that Snapchat was flagged in half of all crimes involving child abuse imagery. Unfortunately, Snapchat is a social media platform that is very attractive to children and young teenagers, so the risks continue to grow.

Snapchat has also become a common avenue for drug sales. It is very easy for sellers to take advantage of young users looking to buy pills such as Percocet, OxyContin, or Xanax. These pills are often laced with fentanyl. Furthermore, two out of every five of these pills that contained fentanyl contained lethal doses. Families whose children have died this way are now suing the app as a result.

Snapchat started as a fun, innocent app to be a breath of fresh air compared to other social media platforms. But as its popularity increased, it slowly started to morph into what other social media apps foster: addiction and anxiety. Although many users still enjoy the app and believe it is a positive environment, Snapchat has had many unintended consequences that have shaped and are continuing to shape our society today. For adolescents around the world, the app that they downloaded to communicate with the world around them may now be consuming their thoughts and completely transforming them.