The latest Snapchat filters certainly have people talking! It seems like the technology just gets better and better with each update. We’ve gone from dog ears and skin blurring to changing our gender and age with the tap of a finger.
Sure, these filters are fun – even some of our coworkers around the newsroom have tried them out, with hilarious results. However, have you thought about some of the repercussions these filters may have? This technology isn’t just on Snapchat and it has the potential to become very dangerous, very quickly. Plus, it’s often in the hands of kids.
App filters have already started getting some negative feedback. A report by the Journal of the American Medical Association explored the idea of “Snapchat dysmorphia”, where people are getting cosmetic surgery “to look like filtered versions of themselves”. Teens are becoming so disillusioned with their own appearances because of apps like Snapchat and FaceTune that they are taking drastic steps to change them.
Now, there could be even more dangers to these apps. As filters become more realistic and technology continues to improve, what’s to stop someone from making a video where they pretend to be you? What’s to stop a predator from turning himself or herself into a child to meet other children online? As technology develops, the potential for danger does as well.
Luke Wood, a tech professor and father, is concerned about where this could lead. especially for parents with young children.
“Where you’re disguising yourself as a baby, or an old person or a man trying to look like a woman…obviously, that just makes it easier for people who are already exhibiting predatory behavior to do the same,” he said.
Right now, these filters aren’t a serious threat and, let’s be honest, they are fun. However, it’s all about the give and take. We can still enjoy playing on Snapchat, but just remember that when you’re online, a dose of skepticism goes a long way.
Contact reporter Daniel Sechtin at dsechtin@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.