The Heat is On...Snapchat (One Week on Snapchat as a 7th Grader)

What really happens when a 13-year-old joins Snapchat?

In this episode, we break down a disturbing new investigation from ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative that followed two avatar accounts posing as 7th graders on Snapchat for just one week — and what researchers found is deeply alarming.

The report claims Snapchat recommended hundreds of unsafe videos to the teen accounts, including drug content, sexual material, self-harm videos, violent content, and connections to strangers who appeared to be adults. Researchers say the accounts were shown unsafe content at an average rate of about one video per minute, often without searching for it.

We unpack the most shocking findings:

• Adult strangers recommended as friends
• Sexualized comments on videos featuring children
• Drug sellers and explicit creators suggested to minors
• Content promoting self-harm, violence, and disordered eating
• Concerns around live location sharing for young teens

This episode explores what the report reveals about algorithmic recommendation systems, platform safety promises, and the growing concerns parents are raising about social media and children.

THE REPORT: One Week on Snapchat as a 7th Grader

PETITION: Stop Teen Exploitation & Abuse on Snapchat