Snapchat’s Family Centre, an in-app centre with ideas and tools for parents, is getting a new Snap Map location sharing function. The social media app, which was once mostly recognised for its self-destructing photos, has gradually improved its location-based social media capabilities. In recent years, it has pushed further into that identity with tools that allow users to share their whereabouts in real time. Now, it is modifying the experience to give parents more control and information right from the Family Centre.
This means that parents and caregivers can now request that their teen share their current location by clicking on a new button in the Family Centre. Once they’ve opted in, parents can easily share their location again, keeping the entire family informed about each other’s whereabouts.
In the near future, parents will be able to request their teen’s location through the Family Centre, and vice versa. Similar to other privacy options, they will also have an easier time seeing who else their child is sharing their whereabouts with.
In the upcoming weeks, the functionality will be released alongside additional new location and privacy capabilities, such as the option to configure automated travel notifications that let family members know when loved ones have arrived at or departed from three specified destinations, including home or school. It’s comparable to apps like Life360, but it’s integrated into a program that some family members might already be using.
According to Snap, the location features are only available to those who have already been added as friends and may only be accessed by opting in. It also said it’s providing an additional reminder for users who share their location with all of the friends on their list to examine their settings whenever adding someone new.
The location sharing features were characterized as new in an earlier version of this story. Although they were already present, the Family Centre features and shortcuts for managing them are evolving, and the mention of a pending lawsuit has been changed.
“As a means of staying safe and connected, location sharing is becoming more and more popular among families,” Nona Yadegar, Director of Product Strategy & Operations, tells Parents. “We designed Family Center to make it easier for parents and teens to talk about the choices they are making online, and we are so excited to bring location sharing into their conversation.”
Parental controls, including the ability to see kids’ privacy and safety settings, see who they are communicating with, and report any issues to the company’s Trust and Safety team, are already available through the Family Centre.
What is the new location sharing feature all about, then? It is the information parents, guardians, caregivers should be aware of.
This new location sharing feature has helped Snapchat estimate that more than 350 million individuals, according to Snapchat, use the Snap Map each month to share their location with friends and family. When parents are out and about, the new Snap Map location sharing tool aims to make it simpler for them to keep in touch.
The feature will provide a button in the Family Centre that will allow parents to ask their teen to share their current location in real time. Additionally, it will be easier for parents to let their teenagers know where they are. Additionally, caregivers can designate up to three locations on the Snap Map to monitor, such as the gym, school, or home. When their teen enters or exits those sites, they will be notified.
Snapchat has said that the goal is that parents will have “more peace of mind knowing their teen has arrived at class, left sports practice on time, or even returned home after a night with friends.”
The ability to track their children might be useful for parents, according to Titania Jordan, Chief Parent Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of the parental-control software Bark.
“Location tracking helps parents rest a little easier when their kids mature and start exploring the world, especially as they start driving or spending more time away from home,” she claims. “Being able to open up a map and pinpoint their location can be helpful in any number of situations, from helping them if they get a flat tire to making sure they are okay and safe in a school emergency.”
The ability for parents to view who their teenagers are sharing their location with on Snap Map is another benefit of Snapchat’s improvements. According to the company, this can help families talk to their teenagers about the sharing options they have.
In the upcoming weeks will see the release of these new features. Note that caregivers cannot access Family Centre without a Snapchat account.
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