KMOV.COM - The popular app, Snapchat, just updated with a new feature that may have some parents concerned.
Snapchat's newest feature, 'Snap Map,' is an attempt to get people to use their app beyond the screen and meet people face-to-face in real life.
Snap Map lets you share your current location. Once updated to the latest version of Snapchat, other snapchatters could be able to see your current location on a map.
"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!,” Snap wrote on its blog.
However, some may argue this new feature could make it easier for predators to track young victims, of whom make up the major chunk of Snapchat's demographic.
According to Hootsuite,
- Over 100 Million people use Snapchat
- 60% of users are under 25
- Nearly 25% have not yet graduated high school
Variety reports that almost a third of the 13-24-year-old Snapchatters they surveyed said they use Snapchat specifically because their parents do not use it.
Snapchat tells News 4 that they have a Snapchat Parent's Guide and Snap Map is addressed in the guide.
From the Snapchat Parent's Guide:
"Location sharing with friends via the Map is optional and is off by default; however, if you submit a Snap to Our Story, it may appear publicly on the Map in the exact location it was taken."
Statement from Snapchat:
"The safety of our community is very important to us and we want to make sure that all Snapchatters, parents and educators have accurate information about how the Snap Map works. With Snap Map, location-sharing is off by default for all users and is completely optional. Snapchatters can choose exactly who they want to share their location with, if at all, and can change that setting at any time. It’s also not possible to share your location with someone who isn’t already your friend on Snapchat, and the majority of interactions on Snapchat take place between close friends.”
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