SNAPCHAT RESPONDS

A SNAPCHAT spokesperson said: ‘ The safety of our community is very important to us and we want to make sure that all Snapchatters, parents and educators have accurate information about how the Snap Map works.

‘We routinely work with law enforcement and safety experts and will continue to do so and encourage a public conversation about ways to use the Map safely, as intended.

‘With Snap Map, locationsharing is off by default for all users and is completely optional. Snapchatters can choose exactly who they want to share their location with, if at all, and can change that setting at any time.

‘It’s also not possible to share your location with someone who isn’t already your friend on Snapchat, and the majority of interactions on Snapchat take place between close friends.’