Snapchat Snapshot Guide for Parents Who Are Nervous
Allowing your teenage children to use social media can make you feel as if you suddenly let them get lost in a scene from Playing on the Needle – so much can happen and it is no doubt scary. The latest source of parenting panic is Snapchat’s new Snap Map , a map that allows users to see where their friends are in real time and what they are doing. This way, Jonah can see that Hank and Mia are at the mug nearby and decide to meet them in real life. This feature, according to Snapchat, helps people “get inspired for an adventure.”
Moms and dads are terrified. The Snap Map has been nicknamed “hunt your friends,” and schools and police are warning of potential dangers. In a video that was shared on Facebook where parents love to chill out and try to figure out these Snapchat tricks, English actress Nadia Savalha exclaims that she is “totally terrified” when her 14-year-old daughter Maddie tries to show her on the video. phone how it works.
I wanted to create a parenting tutorial about Snap Map as there seems to be a lot of confusion, misconceptions and sensations around it. Here are answers to some questions you may have about the new feature and how you can help your kids stay safe.
Can people automatically see where you are right now without you knowing if you are using Snapchat?
No. Location sharing is optional and is disabled by default. When you open Snap Map for the first time, you are prompted to choose who you want to share your location with. It could have been nobody (ghost mode). Or it could be all of your friends (if you are mutual) or specific friends you choose. Publicly available images can also be displayed on the map.
The settings can be changed at any time. Your Snap Map location is only updated when using Snapchat, not when your phone is just turned on.
Can people literally see what you are doing in real time?
Not really. Some say that people can watch you through their phones while you eat, sleep, or work, like on the air. They can not. But Snapchat tries to guess what you are doing using data such as your location, travel speed, time of day, and whether your headphones are connected to your phone. When he thinks he knows, he changes your “Actionmoji,” the cartoon avatar, to show it on a map in an illustrated car, plane, or perhaps under a beach umbrella. Friends with whom you share your location can see the pictures you have posted in that specific location.
Is Snap Map Dangerous?
With that question, I asked Josh Ochs, founder of Safe Smart Social , a digital security resource for parents, teachers, and students. “Do I think this feature is very destructive and scary? No. I think it’s more of a public version of Find My Friends on an Apple device, he says. “Do I think that people can follow others and how to find out where they are? Very little. Therefore, I would advise children to never share their home base. “
Ochs adds that people have been stalking their friends online since the advent of the World Wide Web, and believes that this feature isn’t too different from geotagged Instagram or Facebook posts. “The Internet is all about knowing where people are,” he says. Sharing information on Instagram or Facebook seems more deliberate, however – it’s very easy to forget you’re on the Snap Map every time you open Snapchat.
What else can parents do to help their kids make the right decisions on Snapchat and social media in general?
Ochs recommends auditing your child online. If they’re on Snapchat, sign up for Snapchat and see what you see. (He adds that there should be no kids under the age of 13 on Snapchat.) “Be a passive viewer,” he says. “Don’t comment or research them. Let them have their own space. This is why kids have left Facebook and are leaving Instagram. This is because the parents commented and sympathized and said, “Oh Johnny, I love you so much. I’ll see you at dinner tonight. I’m making a casserole. “
Most importantly, keep talking to your kids about online safety – how to be choosy about accepting friends, what is appropriate and unacceptable, and how to create positive content.
Ok I have everything, but Snap Map still makes me nervous. How do I enable ghost mode?
- Open Snapchat and go to the camera function.
- Pinch your fingers together to zoom in to open the anchor map.
- Click on the settings gear in the upper right corner.
- Check the box next to Enable Ghost Mode.