Snapchat has launched a range of tools designed to help fight bullying on its platform ahead of world mental health day.
An in-app campaign with PROJECT ROCKIT, helping give Snapchatters tactics for responding to bullying with a Lens, Filter and Stickers. The filter presents users with prompts to screenshot and report any bullying that users see on the platform.
“As Australia’s youth-driven movement against (cyber)bullying, PROJECT ROCKIT is proud to team up with Snap to build meaningful in-app resources to empower teens to challenge bullying. Through the use of Augmented Reality, this new lens, filter and stickers does so much more than “teaching” teens about (cyber)bullying by actually giving them the opportunity to practice strategies to make a difference when someone needs it most,” said Lucy Thomas OAM, co-founder and CEO of Project Rokit.
Plus, new content has been added to the ‘Here for You’ section on Snapchat. Created with headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation, and ReachOut, covering topics such as being a good friend, tackling stress, and maintaining a healthy headspace.
‘Here for You’ was launched in 2020, providing in-app support to Snapchatters who may be experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis, with links to relevant resources and exercises to help people cope with such concerns.
“ReachOut is proud to partner with Snap on the ‘Here For You’ portal because we know that social media plays a huge part in the lives of so many teenagers across Australia,” said Tracey Campbell, ReachOut’s director of marketing.
“The more teens that are aware of and access the support resources that are available on Snap the better.”
Snapchat says the health and wellbeing of its community is a “top priority” and the company has a “responsibility and meaningful opportunity” to support its user base. More than 7 million Australians use Snapchat everyday, including 90 per cent of young people aged 13-24.
