The popularity of social media is massive and, for many of us, it has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Social media is a way for people to connect by sharing thoughts, photos, upcoming events, etc., via the Internet and mobile phone applications.

However, the world of social media is ever-changing; sites come and sites go, and just when we get used to the newest trend, there will be another one just around the corner.

Some of the most popular sites and apps at the moment include Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat.

Snapchat is one of the newest photo sharing apps for mobile phones; it has only been around for a year and a half.

According to Snapchat’s blog, “Over 1 billion snaps [have been shared] — with over 20 million unique moments shared every day.” Despite its popularity, there is a problem with Snapchat — it creates an illusion of “now you see it, now you don’t,” which is not 100 percent accurate.

The concept behind Snapchat is clever, and fun: once the picture is sent, the receiver can only view the picture for 1 to 10 seconds before it “disappears forever.” That is where the problem lies — nothing on social media actually “disappears forever.” Once something goes viral (becomes popular on the Internet quickly), there is no control over who will see it.

Yes, that is a scary thought, but it is also an important one to be aware of, and not just for kids and teens, but for all of us.

Snapchat is one of the latest tools, especially by teens and young adults, being utilized for sexting (the act of sending sexually explicit messages and/or photos via mobile phones), because of the belief that there will be no remaining evidence. If someone sends an explicit photo as a regular picture text message, the receiver of that photo will have it on their phone forever.

The allure (and danger) of Snapchat’s built-in self destruct timer allows the sender to think, “It’s OK to send this picture, because they will never see it again.” However, cell phones have the ability to take screenshots (a picture of what is displayed on the phone’s screen), and if it is done within that 10 second span, a Snapchat photo can also be saved forever.

Snapchat’s website does state that the sender will be notified if a screenshot has been taken; however, even if notification is made and read, the photo could already have been distributed or posted to the Web for all to see.

Alarmingly, there are YouTube videos that demonstrate how to take a screenshot of a Snapchat picture, and there are even Google links that explain how to take extra steps so the sender of the Snapchat photo does not get notified of a screenshot. That is scary.

Other than sexting, Snapchat has been used in bullying situations, i.e. taking a picture of someone in an embarrassing or compromising position.

Perhaps the sender thinks it may not cause too much harm, because the picture “disappears,” but again, that is not the case. To see proof of Snapchats that have gone viral, go to Twitter or Instagram, and type “Snapchat” in the search bar, and there will be countless photos that belonged to people who thought they would “disappear” after 10 seconds, but instead, are there for the whole world to see, forever.

Snapchat, when used properly, is endearing because, like life itself, moments come and moments go, and this app gives people the opportunity to share those fleeting moments with those we care about.

One final thought on the Internet and social media in general: What you see is not always what you get, so be careful about the information (and photos) that you share. Online sexual predators tend to hide behind fake accounts, pretending to be somebody they are not to get the personal information (and photos) they want.

It is important to know who you are talking to, and sharing things with, and please, never forget — things do not just “disappear” from social media; nothing is private.

Putting the negatives aside, social media can be productive, important, educational and, of course, fun. We just all need to be cautious and understand the risks when it comes to sharing.

And because we understand the importance of social media, you can find Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr — just search for the username/URL: SAPARSmaine.

Mandy Damon is the SAVES Outreach Coordinator for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. For information, or for help, contact the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services at 784-5272 or www.sapars.org. Support is available 24 hours at 1-800-871-7741 or 1-888-458-5599 TTY.