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Cyber Expert Reviewer:
Reviewed on Dec 7, 2022
Snapchat is a social media and messaging platform where users can share time-limited (self-destructing) content such as messages, photos and videos with connected friends and the public, as well as engage in group chats, private messaging, calls, and playing games with other users.
Snap Inc. the parent company, describes itself as a ‘camera company’.
Snapchat’s content is unmoderated and the platform has many features, including Snap Map, Stories, My Eyes Only, Discover, filters and lenses, and Spotlight, some of which may pose a significant risk to young people’s online safety and security. Accordingly, our online safety experts have given Snapchat a higher age rating than recommended by the App store.
When Snapchat is open, Snap Map enables users to share their location with others, from select friends to their entire contact list. Unless location tracking is turned off (Ghost Mode), Snap Map has the potential to show your child’s exact location on a map for their friends and followers to see. When Ghost Mode is activated, their location will no longer be visible, and although it is still possible for others to ask to view their location, they must first accept the request. Snap Map also enables users to see videos and images posted by strangers within their vicinity, which may not be appropriate.
Within Snapchat Stories, users post photos and videos and can view those posted by others, including celebrities and influencers. Stories can be shared publicly through Snap Map or privately (by default, they are shared to everyone in a user’s contact list; however, this can be moderated within the platform's privacy settings). Stories stay online for up to 24 hours, and users have the ability to see who has viewed their story (although not the number of times they’ve looked at it).
Spotlight is a highlight reel of Snapchat's most entertaining bite-sized video clips (similar to Instagram Reels and TikTok). Users must submit their videos to Snapchat for evaluation; however, there is no guarantee they will be accepted into the Spotlight section. The names of creators under 18 years of age are never shown, and there is also no available comments section within this type of content.
Snapchat monetises the top-performing Spotlight videos (determined by the Snapchat algorithm) through offering its users the chance to win a share in millions of Snap Crystals every month, which can be cashed out for money in the Crystals Hub (thereby incentivising users to stay on the platform and create more content). Snapchat notifies creators of any rewards they may be eligible for through push notifications, encouraging them to engage with the app further.
To make it easier for creators and brands to share their content with wider global audiences, Snapchat has enabled the viewing of Spotlight material through browsers like Chrome or Safari, even for users who don’t have a Snapchat account.
Users can store the Snapchat content they have created, but don't want others to see, in My Eyes Only - a folder protected with a four-digit passcode. However, children, especially tweens and teens, using this feature can make it difficult for parents to monitor and supervise their Snapchat content and activity on the app. The pin number can't be reset, so there is no way to access the folder if they forget their code.
A Snapchat score is a rating that is given to each profile based on activity: the higher the score, the more active the user is on the platform. Many young users will vie with their friends to achieve the highest score, increasing their time spent on the platform.
When two friends exchange Snaps within 24 hours for more than three days in a row, they form a Snapstreak (signified by a fire emoji and the number of days the streak has lasted next to the friend’s name). Snapstreaks can be taken very seriously by some users, and anxiety around breaking the streak is common.
Users can create a Cameos selfie by pasting an image of their face onto another body and background in Snapchat to create a personalised animated GIF. Some backgrounds enable users to include their friends as part of their Cameos creation. Although this is a fun feature, depending on your child's privacy settings, other Snapchat users may be able to use their image without permission in their own Cameos (when it comes to who can use your Cameos, users can opt for 'Everyone,' 'My Friends,' or 'Only Me').
This also means – depending on their privacy settings – that your child has the potential to create Cameos with Snapchat users they don't know in real life. Parents should ensure their child is extremely mindful about who they add as a Snapchat friend if they have set their Cameo privacy settings to ‘My Friends’. If you would prefer to be more restrictive or if you think your child is not quite ready for this feature, then choose ‘Only Me’ instead.
Snapchat recently released its first built-in parental control tool, Family Centre, providing parents with some limited visibility over how their teens use the platform. The feature is intended to reflect real-world engagement between parents and their teens by allowing parents to see which friends their teens have interacted with over the past seven days, but not what they were saying. Parents can also view their teen’s friends list, and are able to see when new friends have been added. Accounts they may be concerned about can be reported to the Snapchat Trust and Safety team. To enable the feature, parents need to create their own Snapchat account, and then connect to their teen’s account via Family Centre by mutual agreement. Â
Several third-party apps can be linked to Snapchat (a little like installing an extension inside a browser), and some may be considered unsuitable or inappropriate for children. Installing adequate parental controls can help parents monitor their child's online activity and block undesirable content.
With the dual camera feature, users can capture images with their device’s front and rear cameras simultaneously. There are several different layouts to choose from, and the flip button allows users to switch the primary and secondary views around.
Snapchat's disappearing content makes it difficult for parents to supervise their child’s activity on this platform. Often children will feel protected by the limited time a photo or video message 'exists' on the platform and, therefore, may be tempted to engage in risky or inappropriate activities such as online bullying or, more commonly, sending nudes. It is important for parents to frequently remind their children that there is no such thing as truly ‘temporary’ or ‘disappearing’ content on the internet.
Discover offers content created by other Snapchat users, news and entertainment outlets, businesses, and celebrities. Users can subscribe to a creator to ensure they keep seeing their posts (and others like them), enabling them to curate their feed according to their personal tastes and interests. The range of content in this section is extensive and can be mature in nature, making it unsuitable for younger users. Additionally, Subscription Stories feature promos and quizzes, which usually lead to adverts and other marketing tools that contain (potentially inappropriate) third-party links
Snapchat is well-known for its self-destructing content; however, Snaps that are sent or received can now also be saved. A user can ensure others can't save the Snaps they have sent by making sure their photos are not set to 'No Limit' and their videos not set to 'Loop'.
Teens using this app should ensure they enter their correct date of birth when signing up. While Snapchat does contain mature content, much of this is filtered out for those who are underage. According to the terms of service, users must be 13 years or older. Although a birth date must be given when setting up a Snapchat account, it is not verified, making it easy for children under 13 to provide false information.
Each user has their own unique QR code – called a Snapcode – and adding others to their contacts is as simple as scanning that code. This quick add feature can make it easy for children to connect with others without thinking, putting them at risk of interacting with strangers. Snapcodes are also used for other activities, like unlocking certain camera Filters and Lenses and accessing websites.
It is important to remember that revealing your location on any app is risky (even if it is just to your real-life friends). It is safest to have your map turned off (Ghost Mode). If your friends want to know where you are, they can use other means of communication to find out, like simply messaging or calling you. The map feature has also been known to cause some issues between friends, as it can make it obvious if someone is excluded from a social activity.
Snapchat's filters and lenses can be super fun; however, users can end up preferring how they look with these filters on, feeling that they aren’t as attractive in real life. For some, this creates so much anxiety, that they feel more comfortable socialising with their friends on social media platforms, instead of meeting up with them in real life. Please remember that the photos and videos you see on Snapchat (and other social media platforms) are digital representations of beauty, and do not reflect what human beauty looks like in real life.
Although many children use Snapchat to connect in a positive way with their peers, there have been instances when children have used the app to bully others online. If you see this happening, make sure you take a screenshot of the exchange (unless there are nude pictures involved) and take it to a parent or trusted adult for help. Snapchat also enables you to report any inappropriate, hurtful or dangerous incidents directly on their platform, by pressing and holding on the Snap in question, and tapping 'Report.'
Please remember that even sharing the smallest details about yourself online can put your safety at risk. When interacting with others online, ensure you don’t reveal any personal information, including your full name, age, school, or home address, and only share photos and videos with real-life friends. Intimate images and videos can be easily recorded or screenshotted by others, and once something is posted online, you no longer have control over where it goes or who sees it.
1. When opening the app, tap the left side profile picture.
2. In the top right-hand corner, click on the Settings button (the gear).
3. Under the Privacy Controls section, set everything (other than My Location) to My Friends or Only Me.
4 . Click on See me in Quick Add and turn off.
5. In the Mobile Number settings, find Let others find me using my mobile number and toggle off.
1. Launch the app, and pinch the screen top to open Snap Maps.
2. In the top right hand corner, click on the Settings button (the gear).
3. Under the Who Can section, click on See My Location.
4. Turn on Ghost Mode.
The Gold Standard: COPPA [Implemented globally, legally enforced only in the U.S.]
California: CCPA
U.K and Europe: GDPR-K
Australia: Online Safety Act 2021