Snapping Under Pressure: Exploring the Relationship Between Snapchat Use and Cyber-Gossiping

Social media has significantly transformed interpersonal communication, fostering both social connectivity and digital aggression. This study examines the role of Snapchat in facilitating cyber-gossiping, a form of evaluative commentary that can contribute to cyberbullying and social exclusion. Using the Social-Ecological Diathesis-Stress Model as a theoretical framework, this research investigates how individual personality traits, familial influences, and peer group norms predict engagement in cyber-gossiping behaviors on Snapchat. Particular attention is given to the roles of callous-unemotional traits, psychopathic tendencies, family supervision, and peer influence in shaping these behaviors.Data were collected through an online survey of university students reflecting on their adolescent Snapchat use. Findings contribute to the growing body of literature on social media’s psychological and social consequences, offering insights into the mechanisms that reinforce gossip-driven digital interactions. This research also highlights the implications of Snapchat’s ephemeral design features, which may lower accountability and encourage impulsive communication. The results have important applications for digital well-being initiatives, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions that address cyber-gossiping as a form of online relational aggression. By understanding the interplay of personality, social environment, and platform affordances, this study provides a foundation for strategies aimed at reducing harmful digital interactions among young adults.