Ask HN: Is snapchat really useful?

That MPH filter is dangerous. I see no use for it other than bragging about speeding.

You might be overthinking it. Use it. Add friends, play around with it -- filters, video chat, stories etc. If you still don't like it then, we'll its not for you, and that's perfectly ok.

I use it for the ease of communication and the ability to share moments instantly. Sometimes I'll even use as a camera app.

It's useful for seeing what my friends are actually doing. People are much more willing to share if it won't be indexed and looked at later by unintended audiences. What specifically do you not understand? The UI/UX? The appeal?

I have many friends who swear by it, though it's only ever used for one, very niche use-case: Documenting only mildly interesting moments for friends to see.

There's no need to document unimportant things. If you have a random thought that'd you like to blurt out to the world, there's Twitter. If you want to remain social with people outside of real life contact, there's Facebook. If you want to communicate with people, there are any number of messaging apps -- which, by the way, can send any form of media. If there's something going on that is interesting enough to where you'd want to document it semi-permanently, there's any number of cameras and camera apps. If you want to broadcast everything you're doing, there's Periscope and Facebook Live.

So the reason people -- particularly young people -- prefer Snapchat (outside the infamous sexting) is because they can essentially broadcast mildly noteworthy moments of their lives to their friends without worrying about all those pictures and movies hanging around, taking up space, or possibly coming back to embarrass them.

But as for me? My toddler just loves playing with the animated filters. That is literally the only reason I have it.