UPDATE: Click here for an updated status.
If your child has Snapchat, then you need to read this post. A new channel was added in the Discovery section of Snapchat that is incredibly dangerous for your children. It is “Cosmo After Dark.” Two quick reminders…1) there are no parental controls on Snapchat and 2) this is discoverable by any child. The channel promotes itself as “an X-rated weekly edition that goes live every Friday at 6 p.m. and is exclusively dedicated to all things hot and horny.”
Yesterday three blog posts came up with information you need regarding the new “Cosmo After Dark.” I would encourage you to read possibly all three of them because they deal with the various components of what is here and some possible ways to respond.
Megan Briggs writes a good article related to ways you can possibly talk with your teenager.
Chris McKenna describes the content of the channel and some possible ways to respond as a parent in terms of some parental control and protection.
Jenny Rapson also read McKenna’s article and provides her response here.
The Use of Snapchat Is an Issue of the Heart
Parents, do not fail to remember that what’s most important is your child’s heart. It is easy to believe that your child is the kind of person who would never look at this material. It is further easy to think of pornography as someone else’s problem. Friends, both of those things are simply not true. This channel does not force your child to look at it; however, it does provide an occasion to the flesh (Rom 13:14). Any child at any particular point in time can be tempted by a channel such as this. It is not that your child is good or bad; the problem is the way the heart handles this temptation, this moment, and this opportunity. There is no guarantee that your child will not let curiosity rule. Each person is drawn away and enticed by his or her own lust (James 1:14). There’s no vacuum that can protect your child from his or her own heart.
Your child can not afford stumble on these articles alone. He or she needs your voice and proactive protection. The kinds of articles that are in this first edition are shocking. I would not want my children reading these articles on the 19 best porn sites and positions for multiple orgasms. These are simply not for any child to see or read.
Here is another blog I wrote on helping prepare your children to engage pop media’s cultural values.
Let Snapchat Know
If you are concerned about the nature of this material, let Snapchat know of your concern. Explain your reasoning. Again, do not forget that Snapchat was started to help college students sext with each other. This is not too far from the core of what this company is about. However, you may still want to contact their customer service if your family is a consumer of the the app. You can do that here. They are a business and will have to consider ultimately what business model they will choose in light of the information they possess. Your voice may be immediately ignored; however, they will not know anyone cares unless they hear it. It will not hurt to hear from concerned parents or customers.
Pray for the Purity and Godliness of Our Children
Our children need our prayers. Pornography is just the beginning of their potential problems. Sorrows are everywhere. Our children grow up in an environment that is rough. We need to pray that God will keep them from temptation, provide us opportunities to impact their minds and hearts through conversation, and protect them providentially according to His will.
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