Once known only for its self-destructing photos, Snapchat has stealthily evolved into a location-oriented social media app in recent years. Now it's leaning more than ever into that identity with a new real-time location sharing feature that lets family members share their live locations with each other. The feature will roll out alongside other new location and privacy tools in the coming weeks.
Once you have the update, you will see an option in the Family Center that allows parents to request the location of their teens and vice versa. The center will also allow parents to view their children's location sharing settings along with their existing privacy settings to ensure they are using the app safely and responsibly. If that's not enough, Snap allows family members to send automatic travel notifications, which will ping them when you arrive or leave three designated locations, like your home or school.
The timing of these features' arrival seems a bit unfortunate for Snap, considering its app's controversial appearance in recent news related to privacy and security concerns. An ongoing lawsuit from New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez alleges that Snapchat deliberately ignored warnings and evidence that the platform is being used to target and exploit minors with solicitation tactics for “sextortion” and “exploitation” activities. sexual”.
It also points out other questionable uses, such as the sale of weapons and illegal substances, although that is not unique to Snapchat. Torrez cited the fleeting nature of the platform's “Snaps” (temporary messages, photos and videos that are permanently deleted after a set time) as a feature that directly conflicts with the overall responsibility of keeping its users safe.
With the additional potential dangers that location sharing poses, we're naturally curious to know how Snap plans to calm growing fears while maintaining the original spirit of its platform. For now, it's toeing the line carefully by making location features accessible only by opt-in, limiting location sharing strictly to friends and family, and constantly reminding users to review their privacy and usage preferences. shared every time they add someone new.
