Snap. Inc., the company that brings the world Snapchat, has announced the appointment of eight Australian teens who’ve been selected as the first-ever members of its inaugural Australian Council for Digital Well-Being.
The group of teens, aged 14, 15 and 16, will volunteer their time to share unique perspectives on the state of their digital lives today, as well as their hopes and ideas for more positive and rewarding online experiences for young people everywhere.
The newly appointed members of Snap’s Australian teen Council for Digital Well-Being are:
- Emma T, from Willoughby in Sydney, NSW
- Rhys M, from North Manly in Sydney, NSW
- Amelia B, from Gippsland, regional Victoria
- Millie N, from Melbourne, Victoria
- Charlotte C, from regional Victoria
- Bentley T, from regional Victoria
- Cormac B, from Joondalup in Perth, WA
- Aadya V, from Indooroopilly in Brisbane, QLD
Since first announcing the program in February, Snap received scores of applications from diverse young Australians, aged between 14 and 16, from all over the country. The call up came as research revealed that over 90% of Australians say teenagers should be involved in conversations about making safer and healthier online spaces1. Teens are highly technically literate, innovative, and resourceful, and through the Council for Digital Well-Being program, Snap wants to hear their thoughts for thriving online.
The Australian program will run for 18 months and will serve as a “sister” council to those Snap is running in the U.S. and across Europe. The Council for Digital Well-Being program is designed to give teens a chance to share their vision for a more creative and connected online space for friends and family. The teen council members will participate in monthly calls, exciting project work, and connection with members of Snapchat’s global Safety Advisory Board, a group of online safety experts from around the world.
Snap recently welcomed the young Australians to its local headquarters in Sydney for a two-day Summit to kick off the program.
“I applied to join Snapchat’s Australian Council for Digital Well-Being as I really want to see more people my age speaking out about this topic. Teens should have an input into what is happening online as these spaces are our support system; we’ve grown up with them, we use them every day to contact our friends, and we need them to feel free. I’m looking forward to being part of this Council so I can support safety and wellbeing initiatives for my Australian peers,” said Charlotte C, from regional Victoria.
More than 8 million Australians come to Snapchat each month, primarily to message with family and small groups of friends, and research shows that Snapchat helps support and deepen their friendships. The visual messaging platform is designed to prioritise safety and wellbeing, with extra protections for teens to help ensure Snapchat is a fun and safe environment for the youngest members of its community. Safety and privacy settings are on by default for those aged 13-17, and the Family Centre suite of tools allows parents and caregivers to see who their teen is communicating with and report any concerns.
“We know teens are the real experts when it comes to the digital world, so we are excited to be launching our first Aussie teen Council for Digital Well-Being. We were thrilled to welcome an amazing group of civic- minded, smart and engaged young Australians from all across the country to our Sydney office to kick things off. As the program continues to roll out over the months to come, their ideas, energy and real-life experiences will help shape a better, more positive digital future for everyone,” said Ryan Ferguson, managing director for Snap Inc. in Australia and New Zealand.
