Snapchat is an app that is used as a way to communicate with our friends and family via photos or videos. It also includes a text chat, money transfer, and video calling feature. Users take a video or photo ("snap") that they can then send to selected contacts for a designated amount of time (up to 10 seconds, now also featuring infinite time as long as shown on screen) before expiring. Gifs, Bitmoji, drawings, filters, and captions can be overlayed on top of the photos or videos. Photos can also be added from the camera roll and sent to friends or put on the users "story" for all of their friends to see.
Filters
There are a variety of filters that people can use when taking pictures and it gives people the ability to write messages on the photos. The video or picture that is sent to the receiver self destructs after it is viewed. If you wanted to save the photo that was sent from your phone there is a button to save them to your camera roll. On the other hand if the photo was sent to you and you wanted to save it you could screenshot it. When you screenshot the photo the sender is notified, so that they always know what photos are still out there and who has these photos.
Friends
If someone wants to add friends there are a few different ways to proceed in adding them. You can search them by their username, phone number, or you could use the snap-code. With snap-code you scan the code to their snap and it adds them to your friends. Once added friends and family can see your Snapchat stories which are pictures that you share with everyone. As well as you can send them Snap-chat's directly so only they can see them. Snapchat stories delete on their own after 24 hours, while personal snaps delete immediately after they are viewed. Though controversy has come up because is anything that is posted or shared on the internet really ever gone or deleted?
Snap Map
A recent update includes the use of a map of your friends location. Of course, this can be controlled and turned off by the user. This allows the users friends to see where other friends are and what they are doing. The map also includes "hot spots" which are groups of people who are snap-chatting a lot and adding their photos and videos to a public story of that location and area. This allows any users to see a "hot spot"'s story and how many of their own friends are over in that area. It can be a way of connecting with people outside of the users friends group and being able to do something fun and spontaneous.
Memories
Snaps that a user would like to save can be stored as a "memory". Memories are a cloud-based storage archive for snaps a user wishes to save. Memories can also be sent to users at a later point in time using the chat feature or exported and stored locally on phone storage. Memories can be combined to create a longer narrative of snap stories, or snaps themselves. The memories are kept in a private archive, run by Snapchat, and saved there until deleted by the user, or accessed. Once used, the memory stays and is able to be used again, unlike the normal snap. It's a living, social camera roll in which photos and videos can be organized, edited, and shared long after they are taken. Once a memory is generated it cannot be erased until the user does so. This give access to the file after it is sent. The memory may be stored on the Snap account, and also the phone, or the user may choose to not allow 'memories,' to keep the photo, but only store on the device.
Updates
Snapchat recently released an update to the app for all main carriers, such as apple and google platforms. The update brings new features, and ways to display the "story," and contact information of each snap contact. The snap-pay and other features are still intact. This new addition to the operation of snap has brought many people into a 'boycott,' of snap, because those who have been using this platform for information sharing do not appreciate the recent changes and additional improvements to the snapchat application.
In a blog published last year, Snapchat said the update was designed to separate content produced by friends and professionals. "‘Until now, social media has always mixed photos and videos from your friends with content from publishers and creators,’ it wrote. ‘While blurring the lines between professional content creators and your friends has been an interesting Internet experiment, it has also produced some strange side-effects (such as fake news) and made us feel like we have to perform for our friends rather than just express ourselves.’" - (Update)
Similar Technology To Snapchat:
Although there are many apps out there similar to Snapchat each is a little different. Skype is used as a messaging and video chat platform. Whereas on Snapchat if you want to talk with visuals it is just a video. This video only lasts a few moments and you have to send your replies in pieces in order to keep up with the conversation. The video like images self deletes after viewed. One of the major differences between Skype and Snapchat is if you message on Skype it saves automatically and you can go back and view messages, and photos. On Snapchat once its viewed that's it you can't see it again unless you view it again which you can only do once. Facetime is so that you can video chat with those from across the world using your phone, tablet or computer.
Instagram is like Snapchat in the way that you now can post stories on your account that last a from a few hours up to a day to show your friends/ followers what is going on in the moment instead of just individual people. However with Instagram when you post a photo or video to your account it is there for anyone who follows your account to see and it stays there until you delete it. With Instagram users have the ability to post their stories and pictures to outside content like Facebook. And Instagram you can tag and you can caption your posts/stories.
Whatsapp is another type of messaging app. But where Snapchat uses usernames and passwords to login, Whatsapp does not. Instead it uses the cellular phone number and syncs contacts so that you don't have to manually add them. Whatsapp unlike Snapchat saves every conversation and image to the phone where Snapchat can delete them from the phone/electronics memory within 10 seconds.
Facebook is just like all of these other apps a way to communicate and find old friends. However Facebook is used to write feelings, post pictures and is similar to twitter. Facebook has a lot more included in it then People can like or comment their feelings/ reactions on Facebook posts. Also on Facebook when you post a video you can stream it live so that people can talk and write messages to you as you are recording yourself. Where on Snapchat in order to have people respond to your photos/ messages on your story they would either have to direct snap you or hold down on the post until it pulls up the keyboard and lets you write your response to the video below. Unlike Snapchat you can hook up your messenger on Facebook to your phone and then your messages on their come through just like any text message that you can receive. Making it convenient to get your messages because you don't need to check your app all the time. Facebook has a marketing place where Snapchat on the other had, has magazine articles which have ads that will take you to alternate websites to buy things.
Snapchat Security:
Snapchat Security uses passwords and requests that you use a strong and reliable password. It also has a privacy setting so that you can choose whether you share your snaps/stories to the whole world or just to your friends. Snapchat also has temporary photos which delete after opening as well as story photos that can only be viewed for 24 hours. The catch is no matter how short the time is set on your snap it is easy to screenshot and save the photo. In the same point having really short viewing time makes it hard to screenshot but also makes it hard for the person on the other end to view the image. However, it notifies you when someone screenshots or saves your message/ snap so that you know who still has copies. Something that you should be aware of is the fact that Snapchat can take the photos that you send and post it anywhere they want online. You shouldn't use any of the third party apps related to Snapchat. By using these third party apps your photos are a lot more likely to be posted on the web. A downfall is that sometimes Snapchat accounts sometimes gets hacked and the hackers can send weird messages to your friends. The only thing you can do to counteract this is to reset your password as soon as possible. This will kick the hacker out of your account causing them to have to re-hack you or just move onto the next person. In some cases you may not even know that your account has been hacked, until someone questions you about links and strange messages sent to them from your account. On this note with everything it is good to change your passwords periodically just to be on the safe side.
References:
*“Skype vs Snapchat: 51 facts in comparison.” Skype vs Snapchat | Messaging app comparison,[[versus.com/en/skype-vs-snapchat| versus.com/en/skype-vs-snapchat]].
* “Snapchat vs. Instagram Stories: What's the Difference? | SEJ.” Search Engine Journal, 30 Jan. 2017, [[www.searchenginejournal.com/snapchat-vs-instagram-stories-whats-the-difference/182766/|www.searchenginejournal.com/snapchat-vs-instagram-stories-whats-the-difference/182766/.]]
SnapChat
Intro
Snapchat is an app that is used as a way to communicate with our friends and family via photos or videos. It also includes a text chat, money transfer, and video calling feature. Users take a video or photo ("snap") that they can then send to selected contacts for a designated amount of time (up to 10 seconds, now also featuring infinite time as long as shown on screen) before expiring. Gifs, Bitmoji, drawings, filters, and captions can be overlayed on top of the photos or videos. Photos can also be added from the camera roll and sent to friends or put on the users "story" for all of their friends to see.Filters
There are a variety of filters that people can use when taking pictures and it gives people the ability to write messages on the photos. The video or picture that is sent to the receiver self destructs after it is viewed. If you wanted to save the photo that was sent from your phone there is a button to save them to your camera roll. On the other hand if the photo was sent to you and you wanted to save it you could screenshot it. When you screenshot the photo the sender is notified, so that they always know what photos are still out there and who has these photos.Friends
If someone wants to add friends there are a few different ways to proceed in adding them. You can search them by their username, phone number, or you could use the snap-code. With snap-code you scan the code to their snap and it adds them to your friends. Once added friends and family can see your Snapchat stories which are pictures that you share with everyone. As well as you can send them Snap-chat's directly so only they can see them. Snapchat stories delete on their own after 24 hours, while personal snaps delete immediately after they are viewed. Though controversy has come up because is anything that is posted or shared on the internet really ever gone or deleted?Snap Map
A recent update includes the use of a map of your friends location. Of course, this can be controlled and turned off by the user. This allows the users friends to see where other friends are and what they are doing. The map also includes "hot spots" which are groups of people who are snap-chatting a lot and adding their photos and videos to a public story of that location and area. This allows any users to see a "hot spot"'s story and how many of their own friends are over in that area. It can be a way of connecting with people outside of the users friends group and being able to do something fun and spontaneous.Memories
Snaps that a user would like to save can be stored as a "memory". Memories are a cloud-based storage archive for snaps a user wishes to save. Memories can also be sent to users at a later point in time using the chat feature or exported and stored locally on phone storage. Memories can be combined to create a longer narrative of snap stories, or snaps themselves. The memories are kept in a private archive, run by Snapchat, and saved there until deleted by the user, or accessed. Once used, the memory stays and is able to be used again, unlike the normal snap. It's a living, social camera roll in which photos and videos can be organized, edited, and shared long after they are taken. Once a memory is generated it cannot be erased until the user does so. This give access to the file after it is sent. The memory may be stored on the Snap account, and also the phone, or the user may choose to not allow 'memories,' to keep the photo, but only store on the device.Updates
Snapchat recently released an update to the app for all main carriers, such as apple and google platforms. The update brings new features, and ways to display the "story," and contact information of each snap contact. The snap-pay and other features are still intact. This new addition to the operation of snap has brought many people into a 'boycott,' of snap, because those who have been using this platform for information sharing do not appreciate the recent changes and additional improvements to the snapchat application.In a blog published last year, Snapchat said the update was designed to separate content produced by friends and professionals. "‘Until now, social media has always mixed photos and videos from your friends with content from publishers and creators,’ it wrote. ‘While blurring the lines between professional content creators and your friends has been an interesting Internet experiment, it has also produced some strange side-effects (such as fake news) and made us feel like we have to perform for our friends rather than just express ourselves.’" - (Update)
Similar Technology To Snapchat:
Facetime is so that you can video chat with those from across the world using your phone, tablet or computer.
Instagram is like Snapchat in the way that you now can post stories on your account that last a from a few hours up to a day to show your friends/ followers what is going on in the moment instead of just individual people. However with Instagram when you post a photo or video to your account it is there for anyone who follows your account to see and it stays there until you delete it. With Instagram users have the ability to post their stories and pictures to outside content like Facebook. And Instagram you can tag and you can caption your posts/stories.
Facebook is just like all of these other apps a way to communicate and find old friends. However Facebook is used to write feelings,
post pictures and is similar to twitter. Facebook has a lot more included in it then People can like or comment their feelings/ reactions on Facebook posts. Also on Facebook when you post a video you can stream it live so that people can talk and write messages to you as you are recording yourself. Where on Snapchat in order to have people respond to your photos/ messages on your story they would either have to direct snap you or hold down on the post until it pulls up the keyboard and lets you write your response to the video below. Unlike Snapchat you can hook up your messenger on Facebook to your phone and then your messages on their come through just like any text message that you can receive. Making it convenient to get your messages because you don't need to check your app all the time. Facebook has a marketing place where Snapchat on the other had, has magazine articles which have ads that will take you to alternate websites to buy things.
Snapchat Security:
Snapchat Security uses passwords and requests that you use a strong and reliable password. It also has a privacy setting so that you can choose whether you share your snaps/stories to the whole world or just to your friends. Snapchat also has temporary photos which delete after opening as well as story photos that can only be viewed for 24 hours. The catch is no matter how short the time is set on your snap it is easy to screenshot and save the photo. In the same point having really short viewing time makes it hard to screenshot but also makes it hard for the person on the other end to view the image. However, it notifies you when someone screenshots or saves your message/ snap so that you know who still has copies. Something that you should be aware of is the fact that Snapchat can take the photos that you send and post it anywhere they want online. You shouldn't use any of the third party apps related to Snapchat. By using these third party apps your photos are a lot more likely to be posted on the web. A downfall is that sometimes Snapchat accounts sometimes gets hacked and the hackers can send weird messages to your friends. The only thing you can do to counteract this is to reset your password as soon as possible. This will kick the hacker out of your account causing them to have to re-hack you or just move onto the next person. In some cases you may not even know that your account has been hacked, until someone questions you about links and strange messages sent to them from your account. On this note with everything it is good to change your passwords periodically just to be on the safe side.References:
*“Skype vs Snapchat: 51 facts in comparison.” Skype vs Snapchat | Messaging app comparison,[[versus.com/en/skype-vs-snapchat| versus.com/en/skype-vs-snapchat]].* “Snapchat vs. Instagram Stories: What's the Difference? | SEJ.” Search Engine Journal, 30 Jan. 2017, [[www.searchenginejournal.com/snapchat-vs-instagram-stories-whats-the-difference/182766/|www.searchenginejournal.com/snapchat-vs-instagram-stories-whats-the-difference/182766/.]]
* https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-Snapchat-and-WhatsApp
* posts, Article by Jake Kenny 9. “Keeping Your Snapchat Account Secure.” Daily English Global blogkasperskycom, 29 Jan. 2016, [[www.kaspersky.com/blog/snapchat-privacy-security/11151/]].
Update - edit
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/10/new-snapchat-update-2018-making-lot-people-angry-7218900/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/
https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/6/12102294/snapchat-memories-private-snap-archive
http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-doesnt-delete-your-private-pictures-2013-5