New Poll: More Than Half of Minor Snapchat Users Encounter Unsafe Content

Published: June 9, 2026

By Mallory Mattingly

Snapchat has never been a safe choice for minors, and a new poll just confirmed that young people are better off without it.

“New polling reveals startling data on the user experience for 10-17yo’s: More than half of minor Snapchat users reported encountering unsafe content or messages in the past year, and most say they’ve simply gotten used to it,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt shared on Instagram.

The Anxious Generation author revealed that “1 in 3 minor users reported unsafe content or messages in the past month, 1 in 8 encountered sexually suggestive content at least weekly…Nearly 1 in 5 reported being asked by a stranger to move a conversation to Snapchat, with avoidance of oversight cited as the top reason consistent with documented grooming tactics” and “4% reported experiences they described as sextortion, nearly tripling among LGBTQ+ youth.”

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In January, the social media platform updated its Family Center to provide parents with daily usage insights, a smarter friend-list contact and new safety and learning resources, She Knows reported.

“Family Center is designed to reflect the dynamics of real-world relationships by providing visibility into what teens are doing and allowing parents to adjust key settings, without showing the content of their private conversations,” Snapchat wrote in a press release at the time. “We work diligently to protect teens on our platform while giving parents and caregivers the tools to play an active role in their teen’s experience on Snapchat.”

But based on the results of this poll, the safety protocols aren’t enough.

“… [the] self-reported experiences of minor users suggest they have not meaningfully changed what minors encounter there,” Haidt said.

Haidt often speaks out on the dangers of screens, especially on young people.

“We humans are built for moments like this that build tribal bonds,” he wrote last week, referencing the NBA Finals. “Sports are a playful version of our instinct toward battle, and nature rewards winning with powerful endorphins. In these moments, we feel at one with the collective in ways that go beyond words. It’s pure celebration and tribal bonding.”

He believes that, more often than not, screens pull us away from these powerful moments of connection. But there are exceptions.

“…not all screen time is bad. Watching a movie together, as a family or as several kids together, and commenting on it, perhaps sharing food — going through the same emotions together — is a great way to foster bonds (and to keep kids busy on a summer afternoon),” Haidt explained. “Watching games together, like so many neighborhoods in NYC watched Game 2 of the finals on Friday, on makeshift outdoor screens, and as we are about to repeat with the FIFA championship coming up, is a great use of screens!”

While screen time has its place, Snapchat probably shouldn’t be part of any young person’s life.

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