By SAMMI STEIN
Snapchat is no longer just for sending goofy selfies or pictures of your dogs – users can now send money to friends through the popular app. With the new feature Snapcash, users can send each other cash electronically. By pairing with Square Cash, Snapchat has introduced a system by which users can transmit money by entering their banking information into Square Cash’s servers. Users type a private message including an amount, and then tap the green button that pops up on the screen to send the cash.
Jericho High School senior Erica Busch expressed skepticism about putting her hard-earned money in the hands of the application. “I just don’t feel comfortable giving my credit card information to Snapchat.” Busch and many other Snapchat users doubt the safety of their money, as the application has a history of security system breaches. As a precautionary measure to alleviate potential users’ well-founded concerns, Snapchat released a statement vouching for Snapcash’s security, “We set out to make payments faster and more fun, but we also know that security is essential when you’re dealing with money. Square has a ton of experience in this area and our teams have been hard at work to make Snapcash a great experience for everyone.”
Senior Nikki Berrin said, “It’s a good idea in theory – I just don’t think people will use it. When lending money to someone, it’s much easier to just give it to them in person.” An avid user of Snapchat, Berrin said that she thinks Snapcash should be an entirely separate application. “Snapchat and Snapcash have completely different purposes, so I don’t get why they’re being put together,” Berrin said.
On the other hand, senior Michael Silberg has used the new feature and said, “It’s a really cool idea. I definitely think Snapcash makes life easier when I want to lend or borrow money but don’t have cash on me.”
Overall, students at Jericho High School and Snapchat users in general seem to have mixed emotions about the new feature. We will have to wait and see if Snapcash will become a successful new addition to Snapchat, or an ineffective attempt at enhancing the application.
