Snapchat rolls out enhanced safety features for user protection
What's the story
Snapchat has unveiled a series of safety features aimed at protecting users from harmful contacts. The updates include improvements to the app's blocking functionality and additional friending safeguards, designed to make it harder for strangers to contact users. This move is in response to growing concerns about predators exploiting teenagers on social media platforms, leading to serious incidents such as sextortion.
Enhanced features
Updated blocking tool and location-sharing reminders
Snapchat's updated user blocking tool is a key feature introduced to address safety concerns. The tool will now block new friend requests from individuals previously blocked by the user, even if they attempt to send requests from other accounts on the same device. Additionally, Snapchat is introducing more frequent reminders about location sharing on the Snap Map, informing users regularly about who they are sharing their location with.
Additional protections
Expanded in-app warnings and friending safeguards
Snapchat is expanding its in-app pop-up warnings, first introduced in 2023. These warnings appear when a user adds a friend who doesn't share mutual friends or isn't part of their contacts. The update will add another warning for users receiving a chat from someone blocked/reported by other users, or from regions not typically within the teen's friend network. A new friending safeguard will also prevent the delivery of friend requests under certain conditions linked to potential scams.
Safety first
Commitment to user safety and genuine friendships
Uthara Ganesh, Chief of Public Policy-South Asia at Snap, stated that the new safety features are about "supporting genuine friendships, empowering teens to make smart choices, and ensuring that every Snapchatter feels secure and confident while using our app." Despite criticism for not taking significant steps to safeguard minor users in the past, these new features represent Snapchat's ongoing efforts to enhance user safety on its platform.
User base
Snapchat's popularity among teens and safety concerns
Snapchat is popular among teens, with more than 20 million using the app in the US alone. However, it has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect its minor users. The introduction of these new safety features is a part of Snapchat's ongoing efforts to address these concerns, and enhance user safety on its platform.