Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Feed Link: https://www.engadget.com/
---

Title: Snapchat will let parents track their kids through Family Center

Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:00:04 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snapcha...

Snapchat is adding new location tracking abilities to its parental control
features. The changes will give parents new visibility into their
childrenΓÇÖs Snap Map settings and allow them to keep tabs on their
whereabouts.

The new features, which will be available ΓÇ£over the coming weeks,ΓÇ¥ will
be added to SnapchatΓÇÖs Family Center, the appΓÇÖs portal for parental
control features. With the updates, parents will be able to request to view
their childΓÇÖs location or share their own. Parents can also opt to receive
ΓÇ£travel notificationsΓÇ¥ when their child leaves specific places, like
their school or home.

Separately, Family Center, which already allows parents to keep tabs on who
their children are chatting with, will also allow them to see who their teen
has shared their location with in the appΓÇÖs Snap Map.

That feature could help address some criticism the company has faced about
the role its appΓÇÖs location sharing abilities has played in crucial safety
issues. SnapchatΓÇÖs location sharing has come under particular scrutiny by
safety advocates who have alleged it had enabled teens to connect with
strangers, including drug dealers and potential predators. The feature was
called out in a lawsuit brought by New MexicoΓÇÖs Attorney General earlier
this year over alleged safety lapses at the company.

In its latest update, Snap notes that it bars all users from sharing their
location info with users who arenΓÇÖt already their friends. And the company
says it plans to push additional reminders to users about their Snap Map
settings ΓÇ£prompting them to be extra thoughtful about theirΓÇ¥ choices.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snapcha...
kids-through-family-center-130004215.html?src=rss

---
VRSS v2.1.180528