Joseph Bayer, PhD, assistant professor, was recently featured in two articles using his research on Snapchat and social media use in social settings.

A Los Angeles Times article discusses the current appeal of Snapchat among Millennials and Generation Z, but Snap Inc.’s founder, Evan Spiegel, insists the constantly evolving app offers something to every age group. Bayer chimes in agreeing that the app’s success is because of the forward-looking approach Spiegel and co-founder Bobby Murphy have used.

“They are somewhere between having a face-to-face in person and Facebook-posting to 500 people,” Bayer said. “They’ve found an interesting mix of the old school and new school.”

A Columbus Dispatch article discusses the new use of “phone-free zones” during live performances. Alicia Keys, Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock are among celebrities utilizing technology to lock up cell phones in pouches so they cannot be used in the phone-free zones. The reasoning behind this is to keep audiences more engaged.

Bayer argues that cell phone usage to take photos or record videos at live events cannot be classified as “good” or “bad” behavior. He said that subconscious phone checking is common for many, but that does not automatically make Snapchat at a concert or other live event, all negative. He said a broader perspective is needed when it comes to social media use at these events.

“You can imagine that people go to concerts not (only) to fully immerse themselves in music for three hours, but also to interact with their friends,” Bayer said. “Now we have tools to do that on a broader scale.”