New Snapchat map raises questions about child safety

Some advocates say a new Snapchat feature dubbed Snap Map could help predators locate children and teens more easily, and also enable bullying.

Snap Inc. says in its announcement that the feature lets a user “See what’s happening, find your friends, and get inspired to go on an adventure!”

On Snapchat, users can now pinch their fingers to zoom out from the Snapchat camera and make a map appear. There is a heat feature that shows places where large numbers of users are submitting snaps to Our Story, but the new addition also adds features that have some child safety advocates worried.

“It’s a major privacy threat because kids don’t look at privacy options,” said Ross Ellis, CEO of the organization Stomp Out Bullying. Some kids will look at privacy options, she said, but most won’t.

Through Snap Map, people can look at photos and videos posted to the public Our Story on a map that shows where they were taken. Only some posts sent to Our Story make it on the map, and the app doesn’t show who took them.

It also allows users to opt in to sharing their location with their friends through what Snap is calling “Action-mojis,” cartoons of a person geolocated on the map. Teens could be in danger if they opt in and their friends include people they don’t know in real life, advocates say.

“It is important to be careful about who you share your location with, as it can allow people to build up a picture of where you live, go to school and spend your time,” warned the organization Childnet International in a blog post. “Given how specific this new feature is on Snapchat — giving your location to a precise pinpoint on a map — we would encourage users not to share their location, especially with people they don’t know in person.”

Snapchat has a parent guide that explains the app and walks parents through how to talk to their kids about it. Snapchat also asks users for their birthday and won’t let those younger than 13 create an account. But some advocates warn that kids will lie about their age.

In its parent guide, Snapchat notes that bullying violates its guidelines. “Make sure to talk to your kids about why bullying is wrong,” the guide says. “Also remind them to talk to you or any other trusted adult if they are ever on the receiving end of bullying or unwanted content.”