The race for popularity inherent in how social media works sometimes leads young users to take risks that can fuel various forms of cyberbullying. How can we teach them to protect themselves? Beyond technical proficiency, isn’t the development of a critical digital mindset what’s really at stake?
Digital platforms have features that encourage users to share more and more content or to react to other users’ posts. All of these actions leave a trail. And these traces, which contribute to the construction of individuals’ digital identities, are transformed into visible indicators of popularity or “social capital.”
These features encourage users to adopt tactics to gain followers and increase their social engagement, which can backfire and fuel cyberbullying rooted in the sexist, racist, or homophobic discrimination that pervades society.
As a result, content sometimes escapes the control of its original author and spreads virally, leading to a person being publicly shamed, regardless of the original intentions behind its publication. Similarly, applications are now being developed to circumvent the safeguards of certain platforms and capture data that is supposed to be ephemeral, but which then leaves a trace that can resurface at any time and be retrieved for malicious purposes.
A behind-the-scenes look at Snapchat, a social media platform popular among teenagers, to better identify the risks they face and possible ways to prevent them.
Digital identity is built not only from the traces that platform users leave behind, but also based on the purpose of those platforms and the presentation constraints they impose. A person does not highlight the same aspect of their identity when looking for a job on LinkedIn as when looking for a romantic partner on Tinder: “Self-presentation on the web is closely tied to the instructions provided by registration interfaces and the calculations users make to create the best possible impression of themselves. Thus, digital identity is a co-production where platform strategies and user tactics intersect.”
This identity can also be defined in terms of three dimensions: “declarative” (what users say about themselves or others through their posts), “active” (the traces these posts leave behind, which appear as notifications to their network), and “calculated” (number of friends or likes). The numerical dimension consists of reputation metrics integrated into the platforms’ interfaces, displaying a summary of judgments about a person and often serving as an indicator of popularity—that is, the ability to be liked by as many people as possible.
On the Snapchat platform—used regularly by 37% of children under 13 in 2024 and by 80% of 16- to 25-year-olds in 2023—playful features embody this calculated aspect. Snapflames track the number of consecutive days of mutual exchanges between two people; charms reward specific interactions; and friend emojis highlight the most frequent interactions.
Cyberbullying draws on the three dimensions of identity and is fueled by the features offered by these platforms.
Insults or rumors directed at others fall under the category of “statements.” Once published, they are beyond the control of their author. Shared and preserved through screenshots, they leave traces that may resurface months or even years later. These attacks are amplified by the “active” dimension, which notifies the victim’s and the attacker’s networks of contacts of every new reaction.
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The sharing of compromising content may be motivated by a desire to draw attention to oneself, to make others laugh by mocking others, and to gain popularity—a race for an audience that reflects the “calculated” aspect of identity. The metrics on which this identity is based reinforce users’ daily engagement and encourage them to maintain constant interaction. They contribute to the creation of “friendship capital,” measured by the number of interactions, which is sometimes captured and shared in a public story as proof of popularity—though this does not necessarily guarantee the quality of those relationships.
Snapchat is an app that stands out for its ephemeral, image-centered exchanges and is changing the way young people construct their digital identities. The “figurative” identity portrayed in photographs and videos takes precedence over the “declarative” identity—whether textual or verbal. Designed for private conversations among “close friends,” this “ghost network”—where most metrics are private—is also being repurposed by young users seeking to meet others and promote their “calculated identity.”
By default, content sent through the app disappears after being read, and the recipient is notified if a screenshot is taken. These safeguards encourage users to share more than they would on a platform that keeps a record of their activity or in face-to-face interactions, where they are under close scrutiny from their peers.
Cyberpsychologist John Suler refersto the “disinhibition effect,” which is often harmless when it fosters sincere and intimate exchanges, but can be toxic when it leads to malicious behavior. Behind the screen, users may not realize how harmful their actions are or may feel shielded from the consequences.
Third-party apps and various workarounds bypass Snapchat’s safeguards, allowing users to take screenshots without the other person’s knowledge. These screenshots can then be saved in “folders” and retrieved at any time to “spread rumors,” start gossip about rivals, or target former friends or romantic partners.
In extreme cases, this stolen data can be used for blackmail to obtain sexual favors (known as “sextortion”), fuel “fishas accounts, ” incite a public shaming campaign against an individual, and encourage the audience to do the same. Shared in chat groups—which can include up to 201 Snapchatters—this private content is not subject to any moderation.
While flames, charms, and emojis from friends reward regular conversations, they also create pressure to perform socially. Flames, in particular—which track uninterrupted daily exchanges—encourage phatic communication, such as sending empty screenshots for the sole purpose of keeping the flame alive, and can even lead to relationship breakdowns when a message couldn’t be sent in time to save the flame.
To prevent forgetting their passwords or dealing with phone malfunctions, young users share their passwords with one another, exposing their personal data to the volatility of teenage relationships. Identity theft is also made easier because Snapchat allows users to create as many accounts as they have email addresses, simply by providing their first and last names and date of birth.
To combat cyberviolence and cyberbullying on its platform, Snapchat is taking steps to streamline the removal of certain content, suspend problematic accounts, and expedite reporting procedures. These procedures are now well known to teenagers, an increasing number of whom regularly report content they find offensive, hateful, or suspicious.
In partnership with the e-Enfance association (which operates the 3018 helpline), the company has also developed a guide for parents and legal guardians who want to help guide their children’s digital habits.
However, it is “illusory” to believe that students can be led to perfect digital proficiency "some layers of which stubbornly elude critical interpretation". The challenge lies instead in acquiring a "critical digital literacy" through the development of technical and research skills, as well as critical thinking skills, enabling students to navigate an information and communication environment that is increasingly complex, while recognizing the role that platform features play in shaping and exploiting individuals’ digital identities.
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