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Snapchat wants to prevent teens from falling prey to bad actors
Snapchat recently introduced AR filters and some AI features and now it is taking care of the privacy for its young users.
Snapchat has introduced new safety features designed to protect young users on the platform from online risks. These features include improved blocking capabilities, simplified location sharing, expanded in-app warnings and enhanced friending protections.
“Snapchat has always been a unique space where you can truly be yourself and connect with your real friends. Young people across India love spending time on our platform, and we are dedicated to making it a safe and positive place for everyone, especially teens. Our newest safety features are all about supporting genuine friendships, empowering teens to make smart choices and ensuring that every user feels secure and confident while using our app,” said Uthara Ganesh, head of public policy for South Asia, Snapchat, in a statement.
The social media platform’s blocking functionality has been improved to protect users from being harassed. Now, as a part of the new safety feature, if a user blocks someone on Snapchat, the app will automatically block new friend requests from other accounts created on the same device.
Also, the app will not allow users to send friend requests to other users between 13 to 17 years of age, unless they have mutual friends. Additionally, the users will not be able to send requests to other users if they access the app in “locations often associated with scamming activity,” reported Gadgets 360. As per Snapchat, a localised version of this feature will be available in India soon.
The third useful safety feature that Snapchat has introduced for its users is Simplified Location Sharing, which allows young users to control which of their friends can see their location on the Snap Map. The app will give frequent reminders to the users to check the number of people they have shared the location with.
As a part of the safety updates, Snapchat’s in-app warning system will not notify the users about the messages they receive from users in different regions to protect the users from suspicious users and scammers. Also, a warning message will also appear to people who receive messages from users who have been blocked or reported, reported Gadgets 360.
This feature will be made available in the UK, US, CA, AU, NZ, Nordics and parts of Europe. However, Snapchat didn’t reveal about the India rollout. The company said that these new safety features might help the platform reduce the risk of inappropriate content or contact from scammers and cyberbullies.
