This past week, all over the world, in an instant people’s lives were forever changed. People were shaken to their very core, questioning their existence, their very place in such a traumatically different digital world… the world of Snapchat version 10.25.2.0 (for IPhone)/10.25.5.2 (for Android).
Figure 1: Screens of snapchat update. Source: https://www.elitedaily.com/p/why-cant-i-get-the-new-snapchat-update-stay-patient-because-its-coming-for-you-8185702.
While reactions from this new update were largely negative, one major part of the update was of particular interest to me. The use of the entire right screen mode for publicizing celebrity stories and commercial stories in a large feed of blocks, emphasizes browsing and visual discovery of information in a way that can be extended beyond the current use cases within Snapchat. What if we created something that centered on this visual learning experience? Visual experiences are inherently more accessible to a variety of users and are becoming widely popularized. Examples of this include the rise of Instagram and the majority of my facebook feed consisting of almost entirely memes and pictures. What if we could create a platform for visual discovery that was more seamless than Snapchat, like its new right screen mode, but was more than just commercial updates and sponsors?
This project, aimed at expanding the browsing-centered, visual experience would be based on the user interactions of Snapchat but would differ in feed content. Currently, Snapchat promotes pages that promise the most lucrative returns and is opportunistic in disseminating information prioritized by commercial value. The creation of a more open, equal system like Youtube and Twitter but consisting entirely of videos and pictures, live and retrospective, would elevate the current level of content. This project could also explore even better interface designs that better engage users in visual content.