Snapchat’s new feature reminds students of the importance of intentional interactions
For years, Snapchat has been at the forefront of social media. The popular platform has appealed to students for its ability to connect them and their friends in a fun and creative way. The app’s unique features, such as filters and stories, allow students to express themselves and share their experiences with others. So why are your students talking about Snapchat this week? Let’s dive in.
Recently, Snapchat updated one of its most popular features, “Snap Streaks.”
What exactly are Snap Streaks? Snap Streaks appear when two people send snaps to each other consecutively for a certain number of days. They show up next to a user’s name with the number of days and a fire 🔥 emoji, also known as a “streak” symbol. However, if the two users fail to send each other a snap within 24 hours, the streak ends and the days reset to zero. A broken streak can be disappointing for many users, which is why Snapchat is launching a way to restore streaks with just one tap.
Snapchat streaks can lead to pressure on students to maintain constant communication with each other— even at the expense of meaningful interactions. By prioritizing intentional interactions and sharing meaningful content, students can learn how to use their streaks for good, create deeper connections, and inspire positive change.
Snapchat’s new feature: Streak Restore
For recent college graduate Zoe, Snapchat Streaks are nothing new. When she started college, she and her roommate had a Snapchat Streak that was almost 1000 days long. When they lost this streak, after one of them forgot to respond in the “24-hour time period,” the streak disappeared. So determined to keep their streak, Zoe emailed Snapchat to see if they could restore the streak, which they were unable to do.
Perhaps in response to numerous emails, like Zoe’s, Snapchat recently announced the launch of a new feature that will allow users to restore a lost streak. A “Restore” symbol will be displayed on the chat screen and inbox when a student has lost a streak.
All Snapchat users are able to restore one chat for free. However, after that, they’ll have to buy each additional restore.
How much does it cost?
Each restore after the first one will cost 99 cents— soon, Snapchat+ subscribers will also have the option to freeze their streaks to put “things on pause when they know they’re going off the grid.”
This new feature may be helpful for students who experience stress about losing their streaks but also want to be empowered to take a break from their screens. Restore also has the potential to encourage students to take needed breaks from social media and take some of the pressure off when it comes to maintaining a long streak.
TSI’s Take
There can be a lot of pressure for students to “always be on” when it comes to social media. Though snapping friends can be a lot of fun, students may feel like they need to constantly communicate with others— just for the sake of the streak. When streaks are prioritized over meaningful conversations, there may be a lack of intentional communication between students.
When students prioritize meaningful interactions over habitual ones on social media, they are choosing to use their mics for good. Students can create a positive and supportive online community by engaging in intentional conversations and sharing meaningful content. In our #WinAtSocial Use Your Mic For Good lesson, Following other students’ footsteps to lead your school and community to new heights, students learn how to be intentional with their social media use and use it as a tool to spark positive change in their communities.
For more ways to encourage and empower your students to use social media as a microphone to create meaningful change, contact us today.
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The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students, while capturing data that provides insights to school leaders to inform school policy and communications, and enable high-impact teaching and a healthy learning environment. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.