Snapchat creates “Australian teen Council for Digital Well-Being” – too little too late?

Snap Inc, the company behind Snapchat has appointed eight Aussie teens to it’s first-ever “Australian Council for Digital Well-Being”, volunteering their time to share ideas for a more positive and rewarding experience for young people online.

Those eight teens will probably be the first and last members, given in less than four months they will all be kicked off Snapchat thanks to the Australian Government’s Under 16’s Social Media Ban.

That legislation isn’t mentioned in Snapchat’s announcement of the teen advisory council, but it’s likely part of an ongoing lobbying they’re doing to ensure the government – and public know that they aren’t the bad guy.

In February the program was announced, with applications coming in from all over the country and Snapchat says the program will run for 18 months and will serve as a sister council to those being run in the USA.

Ryan Ferguson, Managing Director for Snap Inc. in Australia and New Zealand, said: “We know teens are the real experts when it comes to the digital world, so we are excited to be launching our first Aussie teen Council for Digital Well-Being. We were thrilled to welcome an amazing group of civic- minded, smart and engaged young Australians from all across the country to our Sydney office to kick things off. As the program continues to roll out over the months to come, their ideas, energy and real-life experiences will help shape a better, more positive digital future for everyone”

One of the teens, Charlotte C, from regional Victoria, said: “I applied to join Snapchat’s Australian Council for Digital Well-Being as I really want to see more people my age speaking out about this topic. Teens should have an input into what is happening online as these spaces are our support system; we’ve grown up with them, we use them every day to contact our friends, and we need them to feel free. I’m looking forward to being part of this Council so I can support safety and wellbeing initiatives for my Australian peers”.  

Stats produced by Snapchat suggest that over 8 million Australians use Snapchat each month, they say “primarily to message with family and friends”, while Snapchat also says research shows their app helps “support and deepen their friendships”

Like Instagram and TikTok (But unlike YouTube), Snapchat also has a Family Centre allowing parents to see who their kids are communicating with.

All of this means nothing though as the December 10 Social Media Ban looms large, and for many teens this will require a fundamental change in how they communicate with mates.

My own daughter last night needed more Snapchat time just to “call” a friend. This is how they communicate – so removing it just drives them somewhere else. Interesting times ahead.