Available for both android and iOS, Snapchat is a widely popular picture, video and message app. Anything you send is available to the recipient(s) for a limited time before it vanishes- unless saved by you or them. Originally it was to be used for one-on-one photo sharing, but it is now capable of short videos or video conferencing, text and making cartoons like Bitmoji’s. You can add filters of a wide variety, from glamor ones to funny or scary ones to your videos and photos. Locations are shared on the world map, but you do have the option to turn your location off in the settings. Now, as fun and innocent as snapchat may seem on the outside, there is a darker side to it. With the fact that messages disappear once they are viewed (unless saved), it’s super easy for people to cheat on their loved ones and for young teens to misuse the app. According to a survey taken, 41% of tens, between the ages of 13-17 use Snapchat, and that is when they are most vulnerable to social pressure. Sending sexual-themed photos or texts to boyfriends or boys in general that disappear—their parents being none the wiser. The recipient could save that photo however and share it with friends or post it to the internet for all to see—embarrassing the person who sent it and getting them in trouble with their parents at the same time. Teens can also get very easily bullied on Snapchat, and since most kids don’t think of saving the evidence, they let the harsh words disappear forever.
Similar to (and owned by) PayPal, Venmo is a financial sharing app that allows businesses and friends to send money to other people. Venmo users are given a card, much like a bank card, and can use that in stores to use their funds. Funds can be added from another linked bank or after being sent by other Venmo users. Purchases can also be made from the Venmo app itself. Some of the ways you can use Venmo include sending money to a friend to split dinner costs, paying your portion of the rent, or even sending money to the person you shared a cab ride with. Venmo also has a QR code that you can use to make purchases and you can cash certain checks (after verifying your identity). You can also receive alerts about cryptocurrency that you own, sell, or can buy. The only stipulations for owning a Venmo account are age (you must be at least 18 years old), location (must be located in the United States) and you must have a U.S cell phone that can send and receive text messages. There are no annual or monthly fees with Venmo, and only charges for things like using a credit card to send money, quick check cashing, and selling or buying cryptocurrency. There are limits on Venmo transactions, 299 dollars a week for non-verified accounts, and 6999$ a week for verified accounts. Person to Person payments is limited to 4999$ a week. Generally, Venmo is safe, but as with all banking systems, there are potential risks, such as scams like being told by text or email that you’ve won a prize, receiving a call to obtain your account info, someone calling you claiming to be from Venmo tech support and you selling someone an item, to which they claim they’ve paid you, but they really haven’t.
What is Snapchat, how does it work, and its purpose? #1 New Guide (simplyirfan.com)