Snapchat Map feature Can be Dangerous for Your Children

SnapChat has come up with a new feature named Snap Map. The new mapping features permit users to share their location with friends. However new mapping feature is causing concern among parents as Snapchat is very famous now a days among kids and young lot. Snapchat Map feature Can be Dangerous for Your Children.

The introduction of Snap Maps means that users can track each others movement and location in run time. Friends and other Snapchatters will be able to see where people are and what are they doing.

Snapchat Map feature Can be Dangerous for Your Children

Child safety experts and parents fear that highlighting kids location can put them at risk. SnapMap, launched at the end of last month, pilots users and their snaps onto a map so that friends can see what are they doing.

TV presenter Nadia Sawalha shared a Facebook video showing concerns and warning other parents regarding Snapchat new mapping feature. She termed the update as dangerous and a step too far. She urged all parents to ensure that Children Snap Maps feature is turned off into a ghost mode.

Announcing the update, Snapchat said:

“We’ve built a whole new way to explore the world! See what’s happening, find your friends, and get inspired to go on an adventure.”

The new feature has raised concerns among safety experts who fear it could be used to stalk or bully others.

Child safety group Childnet International said:

“Given how specific this new feature is on Snapchat – giving your location to a precise pinpoint on a map. we would encourage users not to share their location, especially with people they don’t know in person

How to turn off Snap Maps feature:

When you open updated version of  Snapchat for the first time, it will make you go through following steps:

• It will ask you to pinch and zoom in the camera tool to access the map.
• It will with whom you want to share your location.
• You get three choices: all your friends, select friends, or only me. Choosing ‘only me’ will activate ‘ghost mode’ meaning you can see others but they can’t see you.
• To turn off location data as a whole, visit your phone’s settings where you can scroll down to Snapchat, click on ‘location’, and choose to never share.

Also Read: Snap Map: Snapchat Introduces Map Feature to Let you Share your Location with Friends