Snapchat Improves Security of Social Discovery for Teens

In a range of updates aimed at improving security on Snapchat for teens, the app has limited who can be added as a new friend. The goal is to ensure that when new recommended friends are pushed at teens, they are actually friends, family or reputable people to add to their social media platform.

Snapchat, along with other social media networks, is on a crusade to improve security on its platforms, specifically for younger users who could be the target of manipulative, catfishing and extortionate behaviour. This year it has already bought in more parental controls that can help parents monitor who their child is communicating with on the app. But a new host of updates this month increases security further.

As mentioned, new recommended friends on the app are being tightened up. Someone will only be suggested to teens now if they are already friends with multiple other mutual contacts, rather than just one. The hope is to limit the app to people teens actually know in real life more strongly. 

Snapchat said:

“As a messaging platform for real friends, our goal is to help Snapchatters communicate with people that matter to them and to ensure that the content they view on our app is informative, fun, and age-appropriate.”

Alongside this change, snapchat is introducing a stricter strike system for those reported to be sharing age-inappropriate content. The app is also attempting to up its education, of both teens and their parents. There is a new series on YouTube for parents and teens produced by the app. And new in-app content delivered straight to teens will educate them on safety tips, and ways of spotting potentially dangerous behaviour from other users.

Finding friends online is a perfectly natural thing for the younger generation, even if the idea is newer to older people. Why not use the technology at our fingertips to socialise. However, it needs to be safe, it needs to be done with teens eyes fully wide open, that not everyone online they meet or get recommended to be friends with, is an appropriate contact. Limiting who gets offered and improving education on the issues is a wise step forward.

In a range of updates aimed at improving security on Snapchat for teens, the app has limited who can be added as a new friend. The goal is to ensure that when new recommended friends are pushed at teens, they are actually friends, family or reputable people to add to their social media platform.

Snapchat, along with other social media networks, is on a crusade to improve security on its platforms, specifically for younger users who could be the target of manipulative, catfishing and extortionate behaviour. This year it has already bought in more parental controls that can help parents monitor who their child is communicating with on the app. But a new host of updates this month increases security further.

As mentioned, new recommended friends on the app are being tightened up. Someone will only be suggested to teens now if they are already friends with multiple other mutual contacts, rather than just one. The hope is to limit the app to people teens actually know in real life more strongly. 

Snapchat said:

“As a messaging platform for real friends, our goal is to help Snapchatters communicate with people that matter to them and to ensure that the content they view on our app is informative, fun, and age-appropriate.”

Alongside this change, snapchat is introducing a stricter strike system for those reported to be sharing age-inappropriate content. The app is also attempting to up its education, of both teens and their parents. There is a new series on YouTube for parents and teens produced by the app. And new in-app content delivered straight to teens will educate them on safety tips, and ways of spotting potentially dangerous behaviour from other users.

Finding friends online is a perfectly natural thing for the younger generation, even if the idea is newer to older people. Why not use the technology at our fingertips to socialise. However, it needs to be safe, it needs to be done with teens eyes fully wide open, that not everyone online they meet or get recommended to be friends with, is an appropriate contact. Limiting who gets offered and improving education on the issues is a wise step forward.