Snapchat decries study claiming kids see graphic content in 'the first minute' of signing up

Snapchat said what researchers found when they signed up for the app was not a balanced assessment, despite an overwhelming amount of "unsafe" content reportedly being shown to teens.

A study from ParentsTogether Action and the Heat Initiative has revealed that new Snapchat accounts meant for 13-year-olds are allegedly recommended a bounty of violence, sex, and drug-themed content as soon as they sign up.

'A systematic failure to keep kids safe on Snapchat.'

The adult researchers say they created Snapchat accounts registered as 13-year-old users with no saved contacts and used avatars, not real photos, before documenting their interactions with recommended accounts and videos.

The users watched one hour of Snapchat's recommended "Spotlight" videos and one hour of videos on Snapchat Stories and said that "within the first minute," the accounts were suggested unsafe content.

Unsafe content was defined as being sexual in nature, promoting depression or self-harm, containing drug use/alcohol/violence, promoting plastic surgery, and more.

There was reportedly no shortage of such material, as researchers said they were recommended 739 unsafe videos that included 244 sexual videos and 257 videos about drugs or alcohol.

Some of the content showed bags of marijuana, allegedly underage teens using drugs, and even teens talking about killing themselves.

Other sexual content contained one girl talking about being a "dirty little slut," while another talked about her experience with anal sex.

Additionally, Snapchat also "recommended adults who were using their Snapchat accounts to promote adult-oriented businesses, including shoes and costumes for exotic dancers, a burlesque club, and lingerie modeling."

This was in addition to content showing very young girls in revealing outfits doing dances or trying on outfits. Many comments sexualized the young girls and used pizza-related emojis, which is allegedly a veiled reference to pedophilia.

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Images courtesy of ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative

NBC's "Today" ran a segment that stated half of Americans ages 13-17 say they use Snapchat every day. The program interviewed three teenagers who said they joined Snapchat before turning 13 years old, with one girl saying it is "normal" to see "extremely hyper-sexual" and "extremely violent" content on the app.

"I think it's kind of omnipresent," a male teen said about the content.

Showing kids this type of content, the teenager argued, has "redefined" kids to be "unsurprised by vile ... acts."

One teen named Emma said she often gets added by strangers who "most of the time" send her pictures of their "anatomy."

Snapchat told "Today" that it automatically makes young peoples' accounts private and undiscoverable by adult strangers. Snapchat also said it "will not connect adults with underage users unless they have three mutual contacts."

Snapchat further told "Today" that the report is "based on a handful of 'researcher'-created accounts," which "does not provide a balanced or representative assessment of teen safety on Snapchat."

Snapchat insisted that "no single safety feature or policy can eliminate every potential risk," adding that the company continues to "invest in new protections and work closely with safety experts, law enforcement, parents, and policymakers ... to keep all Snapchatters safe."

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Image courtesy of ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative

"Our research makes clear that Snapchat’s own product design, particularly its recommendation algorithms, consistently puts children in harm’s way, sometimes within minutes of joining the platform," said Heat Initiative President Brooke Istook in a statement to Blaze News.

Istook added, “Parents have been sounding the alarm for years. Lawsuits have documented the harms. Children continue to be targeted, exploited, and exposed to dangerous content because Snap has not fixed the systems that cause these risks."

Shelby Knox, director of online safety for ParentsTogether Action, said in a statement that what researchers found "wasn't just disturbing; it was a systematic failure to keep kids safe on Snapchat."

The organizations called for Snapchat to redesign its platform with safer defaults and recommendations.

Snapchat did not respond to a request for comment by Blaze News.

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