Can someone please explain Snapchat and its appeal to me?

[Kaylore]

Can someone explain Snapchat to me? My brother in law, who is 17, was explaining "you can send pictures to each other!" "Like a text?" I asked. "Yeah, except you don't save them!" "Why would I want that?" "It's cool! And they're going to do video now!" "Like Skype or Facetime?" I asked. "Yeah but it's cooler."

I have been able to understand and appreciate a lot of the social media and apps they have for keeping people connected, but this one seems redundant to me. Can someone help me understand what it does and what the appeal of this seemingly redundant tech fad is?

#Getoffmylawn

[Requiem]

It is worthless. /endthread

[crush17]

Pretty effing pointless and annoying.

[Kaylore]

I need to change the title of my thread. I'm looking for someone to explain it to me...

[IA-Broncosfan53]

For me, it's about having my friends see my embarrassing/funny photos/vids without having my entire social media network peaking at them.

[The1percentKid]

One word.


Tinder.

It will absolutely get you laid. As well as send you into lustful affairs if youre married/or have a gf.

[Mogulseeker]

Something about not getting as much data charges.

[rmsanger]

isn't this just like the virtual version of mission impossible message?

[crush17]

It's basically a way to send photos/videos/texts that automatically delete themselves after they've been viewed once, or replayed once (you can usually see something a total of 2 times for a maximum of 10 seconds)

Literally, you will not be able to see something again after viewing it.

[ColoradoDarin]

sext chat/pics without permanent record.

[Kaylore]

FWIW, most of the people I know, all young, don't use it for sexting. Some of you are going to say "SURRRREEEE" but the data and reporting seems to suggest that isn't what it's for. So I'm trying to wrap my head around the appeal of sending non-permanent pictures outside of practical benefits like saved storage. Obviously sexting is one appeal, but since snap chat is mostly not used that way, I want to understand why it's growing. What's the advantage?

[Kaylore]

For me, it's about having my friends see my embarrassing/funny photos/vids without having my entire social media network peaking at them.

Two questions.

1. How old are you?

2. If they can't save the picture, I assume it is just to create an interaction. So is it some kind of video chatting except done with pictures? Does the lack of permanency make it so you don't feel you have to pose pictures and can be more authentic? Is it to save keystrokes (pictures easier to send than typing a sentence)?

[Requiem]

The pictures might not get saved on "your" device, but they surely get saved somewhere. Beware.

[baja]

I bet someone is saving them. It's the perfect guise.

[Rabb]

You can take screen shots of the pictures if you are quick enough. Also, you can see people's latest snap chats somehow on your friend's list.

My kids and I send each other stupid pictures with it, otherwise it's useless and I still don't really "get" it...but it keeps them from bitching at me to download it.