Snapchat is 'here for you' with new mental health feature

At a time when cyberbullying and unhealthy messaging are running rampant online, social networking sites are grappling with how to address it.

The latest social app to take a stab at helping users navigate distressing online situations is Snapchat, which announced a new tool Tuesday called Here For You that connects users with mental health experts.

When users search for sensitive topics like anxiety, depression, suicide and bullying, self-help information will populate to help them get through whatever they're going through. Snapchat will also offer advice from local experts.

The tool will include advice for people who have friends struggling with mental health.

Snapchat is extremely popular among teenagers who report being bullied online more often than any other age group. In fact, over half of kids and teens report being bullied online, according to statistics from the i-SAFE foundation.

Well over half of young people don't tell parents when cyberbullying occurs, the organization found.

Snapchat is not the first social media platform to run mental health campaigns and bolster anti-bullying initiatives.

In 2019, Instagram launched a feature called Restrict that lets users guard themselves against unwanted public interactions with trolls, haters and bullies who just want to incite an argument. Pinterest removes content that's flagged as bullying or harassment.

Facebook has also rolled out tools to address online harassment. There's a bullying prevention hub designed for teens.

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