Earlier this week, Snapchat unveiled its latest update that (somewhat) brought back a few features the previous update removed. Although this update is shiny and new, it begs the question that every social media update brings about: do we need it?
When Snapchat got rid of its original best friends rankings, people took notice. Plenty of memes circulated the web about not knowing who your man/woman’s side lover was anymore, but the world seemed to be at rest. So why all of the sudden is the app bringing it back in another form?
Perhaps it’s because as a culture, we’re pretty nosy—that’s part of the point of social media. Sure, we can stay connected to our friends and family, but there’s something about being able to know at all times what a person is up to that brings us joy. It’s also why we feel the need to block that ex, so that we don’t end up wrecking ourselves when we go looking for that information.
There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of nosiness, but save that for Facebook and Twitter. The new update is definitely interesting to take note of, but it brings back that sort of competitive feeling that being a person’s top friend on MySpace brought, which completely defeats the point of the app.
As avid users of social media, we are all too familiar with random updates and changes to design; it’s amazing that we’re able to catch on so quickly to these changes. However easy it is to navigate new changes, it is still incredibly tiresome to be graced with new additions whose purposes are completely ambiguous.
Usually, the folks at Snapchat HQ send out some sort of incredibly long promo about the app’s newest add-on (remember the SnapCash video?), but this time, no such snap came. For you folks who didn’t bother to do a quick Google search, here’s what you missed:
Heart: You are both each other’s number one best friend
Sunglasses: One of your best friends is their best friend
Toothy smile: Your number one best friend is their number one best friend
Side eye grin: You are their best friend, but they aren’t yours
Smile: They are one of your best friends
Fire: You have snapped each other for consecutive days, and the number is how many days it’s been
The Snapchat update 2K15 may seem a little ridiculous, but hey, as long as you and your bff have a heart next to both of your names, that’s all that matters, right?
