About

Snapchat Map Parodies are spoofs of the recently implemented feature of photo-sharing app Snapchat which allows users to see the physical location of their friends on a map.

Origin

On June 21st, 2017, Snapchat^[1] revealed the "Snap Map," a feature which allows users to see the location of their friends on a map by pinching the screen to zoom out. Friends will appear as an avatar called "Actionmoji," which closely resembles a Bitstrips character. The feature is opt-in, meaning it will not be activated unless users choose to activate it.

Spread

In the week following the announcement of the update, users, experts, and parents raised concerns over the implications of the feature with regards to privacy. ABC News^[2] ran a segment and posted an article warning that using the map could give strangers information such as your address. The Daily Dot^[3] ran an article compiling examples of how the app was inadvertently a tool to discover one's significant other is cheating (shown below).

Meanwhile, edgy jokes parodying the app by relating them to real life events began trending on /r/dankmemes. On June 23rd, invalidmustache^[4] posted a variation featuring the Columbine shooters that gained over 1,000 points (shown below, left). On the 26th, a version referencing the 2015 Paris Terrorist Attacks was posted to /r/MemeEconomy^[5] and gained over 500 points. The Daily Dot^[6] covered the rise in these jokes as well.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References