By Marcelina Vergara
Contributing Writer:

A new photo messaging app has caught the attention of teenagers with some unintended consequences.

Snapchat is a free app on both Apple and Android devices where users can send 10 second or less videos and pictures to their friends.

“I love Snapchat! It’s my alternative to texting and it seems like I’m talking to my friends since I can see their faces,” freshman Sayna Eghdami said.

Teenagers have mostly used the app to send their friends self-portraits and other photos to their friends but there have been reports of  using the app to send inappropriate or explicit photographs.

“It’s a common thing to hear about teens sending inappropriate pictures,” freshman Jackie Tatulyan said. “Snapchat is one of those apps that is misused and nobody really understands the consequences until rumors are spread.”

Although Snapchat deletes the photos after 10 seconds, the receiver can easily take a screenshot of the photo, saving it to their phone.

This can cause problems, as the person who saved the photo can then send it to other friends and they then send it to more people.

“People should be cautious to who and what they send. They may never know what’s going to happen,” sophomore Kane Mara said.