Snapchat’s Effect on Our Teens’ Mental Health

Co-authored by Joshua Miller

Parents are more concerned than ever about their children’s mental health. Studies show that social media use has a strong effect on our teens’ daily emotions and behavior. Rather than write yet another article lamenting teens’ social media usage, I invited my nineteen-year-old son, Joshua, to co-author this Jews in the Digital Age column with me to ensure it includes perspectives from both a parent and a teen. 

Parents of teens are familiar with and use social network applications like Facebook and Instagram. They have also, in recent years, begun to use TikTok, the popular video application. However, Snapchat is different since most parents do not use it and are generally unaware of their teens’ activity on the platform.

Snapchat’s own annual reports explain that it is used primarily by high school and college students. The mobile application allows users to share photos, videos, and messages. As of February 2023, Snapchat has approximately 750 million monthly active users, 63% of which use the application regularly, and more than three billion snaps are created and exchanged each day.

Snapchat causes negative mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, in high school and college students, making it an activity that should be high on the concern list of parents, teachers and mental health professionals. There exists a worldwide mental health crisis among teens and college students, and the use of Snapchat is prevalent among this age demographic. Studies have been conducted to show a causal relationship between Snapchat use and this mental health crisis.

Many teens will be enjoying a fun experience with family or friends, and then experience a sudden mood swing upon opening the Snapchat application on their phone. The phone screen will display photos of their friends' activities, who they’re with, and where they are currently located using Snapchat’s “Snap Map” GPS (global positioning system) feature. The teen who seemed to be happy and content is now feeling lonely, anxious and depressed thanks to the “fear of missing out.” Commonly known by the acronym “FOMO,” Snapchat contributes to this fear by making it appear that others in the teen’s peer group are enjoying life more. The teen often feels that they have not been invited or included in a competing activity even though they were satisfied with their situation prior to looking at the “Snap Map.” Seeing what others are posting on Snapchat, the teen loses focus and cannot be present with the people they are actually with in real life (“IRL”).

Back to School Tech Product Roundup

Does it feel like the summer just started? Well, it’s already back to school time. Those are words that most kids dread to hear and most parents look forward to hearing. This has always been my favorite time of year because there are so many new tech products on the market. “Back to school” tech products don’t just mean cool school supplies and gadgets. There are many new products available that will make everyone, from teachers to executives, more productive.

Back to school time also means companies are beginning to release their new and exciting products for the holiday season. From virtual reality and drones to security cameras and 3D printers, these many new products are unbelievable. In this roundup of products, I have included everything from smokers for your Labor Day barbecue to fun drones that will make videography more fun for everyone in the family. Affordable 4K televisions for your college student and educational games that will keep everyone on their toes this school year. Why wait for the holiday season to splurge on new tech products? Check out this great list of exciting new gadgets.

Featured Laptop:

Huawei MateBook D – I’m a big fan of Huawei products (I love their phones) and this 15.6-inch notebook doesn’t disappoint. It’s the first lapper of this size to launch Dolby Atmos Sound System providing an immersive sound experience with Dolby custom-designed and tuned speakers. It’s so thin and light that all ages of students will be able to carry this powerful computer to classes each day. It has NVIDIA GeForce 940MX Graphics with 2GB GDDR5 video memory to ensure extraordinary work and entertainment experiences. Comes with Windows 10 Home and a i5 processor, with 1 year Office365 included. http://consumer.huawei.com/en/tablets/matebook-d/

Featured Phones

Moto e4 Phone – There was a time when young students weren’t allowed to take a phone to school, but no more. Now that our kids can have phones, we want to equip them with one that is powerful, but not too costly. This ridiculously inexpensive smartphone is sure to impress with its 5” HD display and compact design. Don’t let the price fool you because this phone has most of the same specs phones five times the price do. It has a fingerprint sensor to instantly unlock your phone, a quad-core processor and 4G speed. The camera lets you take sharp photos, even in low light conditions. The removeable battery, which is becoming more uncommon in phones, lets you swap a new battery after a couple years of use. It also has a selfie flash and its splash resistant. https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-e-gen-4

BlackBerry KEYone – A friend of mine who is a long time BlackBerry aficionado endured years of jokes at his expense for his seemingly outdated phones. He finally succumbed and switched to an iPhone, but that was a mistake. He should have waited for the KEYone to be relieased. This phone features a 4.5 inch 1650×1080 pixel resolution display with a Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM, 12 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front cameras, as well as a long-lasting 3,505mAh battery. It has the BlackBerry standard full QWERTY keyboard, of course. At $549.99, it’s sure to give the iPhones a run for their money. https://us.blackberry.com/smartphones

Featured TVs

Hisense H8 TV – A generation ago many parents frowned on the idea of a TV in their child’s room because it was seen as an alternative to homework. Today’s generation of kids might spend time watching their favorite shows on Netflix, but they’re just as likely to be watching tutorials for school on YouTube on the 55” display hung on the wall of their bedroom. Hisense offers advanced HDR processing at an unbeatable price tag with brilliant picture quality, built-in wireless, Netflix, Vudu Movies, and YouTube for the latest in entertainment. The 65-inch model retails for $899.99 with smaller sizes offered for less. https://www.hisense-usa.com/electronics/tv

TCL S-Series HD-TV (4K) – While Samsung, Sony and Vizio might be the more popular names in the television industry, it’s brands like TCL that are offering high-end 4K models that are more affordable. TCL’s S-Series features Dolby Vision HDR and enhanced front-facing speakers to deliver premium picture quality and superior sound. With sizes ranging from 28” HD displays, perfect for a kitchen countertop, 43” Full HD models great for bedroom watching, to 65” 4K HDR resolution to help turn your living room into the ultimate entertainment experience. http://www.tclusa.com/products/home-theater/s-series

Featured Backpacks and Briefcases

booq SuperSlim 15 – I don’t leave home without my booq case that protects my Microsoft Surface Pro. It’s lightweight and comfortable to carry. The SuperSlim 15 proves to be the perfect companion for comfortable traveling and daily commuting with its polyester interior, functional pockets and padded lip inside its laptop compartment to protect laptops. It features booq’s Terralinq lost and found service and a five-year warranty. https://www.booqbags.com/

STM Judge Laptop Brief – Ideal for schlepping your laptop around campus, STM’s 15” laptop brief is teeming with pockets, zippers and compartments. The defining feature of the Judge is STM’s trademarked SlingTech technology, which not only guards your digital device but also suspends it above the bottom of the bag, where laminated dual density foam keeps it away from the impact zone. The briefcase also features the innovative Cable Ready cable-routing system that keeps you connected with cords conveniently stowed out of the way. https://www.stmgoods.com/

1 Voice NYC Backpack - Get your student ready for school with the 1 Voice Backpack. This innovative backpack will make busy days easier to manage. School is all about working hard, staying focused and being organized. The 1 Voice Backpack will make school semesters a little smoother. This wearable technology has a built-in 11,000mAH lithium-ion charger enough to recharge your phone 4 to 7 times! No more digging to the bottom of your backpack to find an item. This high-quality backpack has many compartments with easy access and is available in brown, navy blue, and black. http://www.1voicenyc.com

Beckmann Backpacks – I hadn’t heard of Beckmann Backpacks until this year and I’m impressed. These bags are full of pockets, straps and gear loops so that your child can stay organized while at school. The variety of colors and patterns allows kids to really express themselves. Beckmann, a Norway-based company, only makes school bags that are resilient and safe. http://beckmannofnorway.com/

The Ruck Backpack by Speck – I couldn’t believe this backpack is only $49.95. I’ll be equipping all my kids with one of these this fall because they are rugged, safe and look cool. The Ruck’s rear padded laptop sleeve holds up to a 15-inch laptop, and there’s extra space in the rear compartment for notebooks, books, and more. A second zippered compartment features a soft-lined tablet sleeve to secure and protect an iPad or e-reader. It also has pockets to store pens, charging cables, and a clip to keep your keys from getting lost. Best of all, the Ruck is backed by a three-year warranty. http://www.speckproducts.com/speck/backpacks/classic-ruck-backpack/SPKBP-RUCK.html

Tech Products You’ll Love this Fall

Varidesk Laptop 30 Standing Desk - This awesome standing desk will keep you moving all day and helps you stay loose. The compact design is perfect for any space and it is adjustable to accommodate many heights with its nine different height adjustments. The single, slim work surface is 30 inches wide, so it’s the perfect size for laptops or tablets. Best of all is that it’s fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box. https://www.varidesk.com

Mighty – I got so excited when I learned about Mighty because it really fills a gap in the music playing space. Mighty plays your Spotify music on-the-go without a phone. It works with Spotify Premium and pairs with Bluetooth headsets and speakers. It holds over a thousand songs and boasts a battery life of up to 5 hours. It’s also drop- and water-resistant. https://bemighty.com

Logitech MK850 – For years I’ve only been using Logitech keyboards. I find them to be comfortable, responsive and quiet. With the MK850 set, your keyboard won’t require new batteries for 36 months and your mouse stays powered for 24 months. You can connect wirelessly to your devices with Logitech Unifying USB receiver or pair via Bluetooth.The best part is that you can flawlessly switch from typing on your computer to your tablet with the touch of a button and the mouse pairs with up to 3 devices for seamless multi-tasking. Only $99.99 at https://logitech.com

Back to School Tech: Technology Gadgets for College Students

The college students of yesteryear packed their laptop computer and a graphing calculator when they went off to school in late August. Today's tech-focused coeds take a large array of tech gadgets with them to campus. From Bluetooth speakers and keyboards to drones, fitness wearables and Go-Pro cameras, the 21st century undergrad makes Elroy Jetson look like Pebbles Flintstone. This back-to-school tech list has both the practical and the just plain fun gadgets for those headed off to academies of higher learning who are desiring high tech.


Parrot Bebop Drone: A drone might not be a required device to pack for college, but it will certainly be a fun, attention-catching toy for a creative college student. This compact, durable, easy-to-use quadcopter is great for capturing overhead video and photos. The Parrot Bebop is one of the most popular recreational use drones on the market and its small and lightweight enough for out-of-the-box usage. The Bebop's camera has been improved from previous drone models and has a 180-degree angle of view with a 14-megapixel sensor. The Bebop can be piloted with a smartphone or tablet. With a GNSS chipset with GPS, Glonass and Galileo built in, the Bebop will return to its take-off location on its own and hover in place 2 meters above the ground. It can reach speeds of around 45 mph. You'll have to recharge the Bebop's battery often between flights, but it will be fun to capture video footage on beautiful fall days from high above the campus.

Priced: $499 www.parrot.com

Ultimate Ears UE ROLL: Everyone knows college students love their music and they have to be able to take it with them. In 2015, no one is shlepping a heavy stereo to the park to play Ultimate Frisbee, but simply putting on your favorite playlist on your cellphone won't be loud enough either. The UE ROLL from Ultimate Ears plays your music loud in every direction. This is the most powerful, yet small wireless Bluetooth speaker. For added sound you can double up with a second UE ROLL or use one of Ultimate Ears' other Bluetooth speakers like the UE MEGABOOM. This comes with a downloadable mobile app for remote on/off and custom wake up settings.

Priced: $99.99 www.ultimateears.com