Snap Inc., the parent of Snapchat, announced a series of new features designed to educate and empower members of the Snapchat community to support friends who might be struggling with their own social and emotional wellbeing. This effort includes a new partnership with Headspace, maker of meditation and mindfulness apps, on new tools and premium content.
The features were informed by research conducted late last year into how “Snapchatters” and their friends experience mental health. Snap said it found that an overwhelming majority of Snapchatters experience feelings of stress and anxiety and that their friends are the first people they turn to when they need help, more than professionals or parents. They also see friends as the most positive force in their lives — consistent with other studies that have shown that spending time with friends can be one of the most effective ways to combat feelings of loneliness and depression.
As the platform that reaches 90 percent of 13-to-34-year-olds, and connects them with their friends, Snapchat believes it can play an important role in helping its community access preventative wellbeing tools and resources when they, or their friends, are experiencing a mental health crisis.
Headspace Mini
As part of a new developer product, Snap Minis allow developers to bring bite-sized utilities into Snapchat. Headspace and Snap are partnering on a new Headspace Mini that will give Snapchatters access to guided meditations and mindfulness practices directly in its app.
Minis are designed to d integrate within conversations on Snapchat so coordinating between friends is faster. Through the Headspace Mini, Snapchatters will be able to workout with friends or send messages of positivity. The Mini will roll out to Snapchatters in the coming weeks.
Also being introduced is Snapchat Original Shows on Snaps Discover platform to demystify mental health. Further details are available here.
