Digital Childhood Script Series
"Snapchat is different. It's just messaging."
What to say
The Script
"I know messaging your friends feels harmless. But Snapchat isn't just texting. It opens private conversations to people you wouldn't invite into your real life."
On disappearing messages
"And because messages disappear, people often say or send things they wouldn't send if it stayed. When there's no record, behavior changes. I don't expect you to manage that by yourself."
There are safer ways to stay connected
"There are safer ways to stay connected. This isn't one of them."
What not to say
"Snapchat is for bad things." Scare tactics make you sound uninformed and shut down trust.
Why this matters
The "just messaging" framing is understandable, it really does look simple from the outside. But the design is the issue, not the intent. This script validates their view and names the reality.
Follow-up questions
- "What would you actually use Snapchat for?"
- "Do you know what a Snapchat streak is?"
- "What happens to a message after it disappears, do you think it's really gone?"