The New Face of Sexting

 Snapchat, the new self-destructing photo-messaging app, is quickly becoming the new face of sexting. Ever wanted to send nude pics to someone special, but you were afraid that they would end up in the hands of a creepy 40 year-old living in his mom’s basement? Or maybe they would pop up at your school or workplace. Never fear, Snapchat is here.

Here’s how it works. The app allows users to send pictures and control how long the recipients can view the image. Once the other party opens the image, they are only permitted to view it for a matter of seconds and then it disappears forever—or does it? We aren’t quite sure exactly where the pictures go, but we imagine that there are records somewhere.

What does this mean for sexting? It means the avid sexters out there do not have to rely solely on their grimy imaginations anymore. Now they can get a peek at what their minds used to conjure up from a brief text message. No more will sweaty fingers struggle to text something creative and erotic. Snapchat is the ultimate tease. It’s basically someone helping you to have sex with yourself—a real mind-fuck.

Snapchat is the product of a world that stresses maximizing efficiency in a limited period of time. In the long term we are all dead, right? Gone are the days of tedious text messages that lead to long, unhappy relationships. Picture this: two people meet at a bar. They exchange numbers. The guy goes into the bathroom not to piss but to Snapchat. The girl, from her barstool, Snapchats back a smile (if she is pleased) or perhaps something more seductive. Boom, it is a relationship made for at least one night.

Careful now. Of course, whenever something good comes into this world, there are people that try to ruin it. Snapchat users realized that taking a quick screenshot of images can save compromising pictures forever. This act of cheating has had devastating consequences for rule abiding Snapchat users who just want to send some nude pics in peace. Inevitably, the viewing time will get smaller and smaller, as users try to minimize the chance of recipients taking screenshots. Why is it that a few bad eggs always have to spoil it for the rest of us?