Snapchat Introduces New Parental Controls for Teen Users
Snapchat is making changes to its app’s parental controls to provide better oversight for parents concerned about their teen’s use of the platform. The new features include the ability for parents to restrict their teens from interacting with the app’s AI chatbot, My AI. This comes as Snapchat faced criticism for not adequately implementing age-gating features for the chatbot, which led to inappropriate conversations with minors. The company states that these new parental controls build on the existing safeguards of My AI, ensuring inappropriate or harmful responses are minimized.
Restrict AI Chatbot Interactions with New Snapchat Parental Controls
The introduction of new parental controls on Snapchat allows parents to have more control over their teen’s interactions with the app’s AI chatbot, My AI. Parents can now restrict the chatbot from responding to chats from their teen, providing a safer environment for communication. Snapchat faced backlash for launching My AI without appropriate age-gating features, as it was found to engage in conversations with minors on sensitive topics. With this new restriction feature, Snapchat aims to address these concerns and improve the platform’s safety for young users.
Enhanced Privacy Settings Available for Parents on Snapchat
In addition to restricting AI chatbot interactions, Snapchat now offers enhanced privacy settings for parents to monitor their teen’s activities on the app. Parents can view their teen’s safety and privacy settings, which include the ability to see if their teen can share their Story with friends or a select group of users. Contact settings can also be viewed, allowing parents to know who can communicate with their teen on the app. Furthermore, parents can track their teen’s location sharing through the Snap Map feature. These enhanced privacy settings aim to empower parents to better understand and manage their teen’s online presence.
Find Family Center More Easily with Updated Snapchat Features
Snapchat has made it easier for parents to access Family Center, a dedicated place for parental controls. Parents can now find Family Center directly from their profile or by accessing their settings. Family Center provides a comprehensive overview of the parental control features available on Snapchat, allowing parents to set restrictions and monitor their teen’s online activities. By making Family Center more accessible, Snapchat aims to ensure that parents are aware of and can easily utilize the app’s parental control options.
Snapchat Expands Parental Controls Amid Growing Concerns over Child Safety
The expansion of parental controls on Snapchat comes at a crucial time when social media platforms are facing increasing scrutiny regarding child safety. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel is scheduled to testify before the Senate on January 31, alongside representatives from other major platforms, to address concerns about their inability to protect children online. Additionally, Snap and other tech giants have received formal requests from the European Commission, inquiring about the measures taken to safeguard young users on their platforms. By expanding parental controls, Snapchat aims to demonstrate its commitment to addressing these concerns and providing a safer experience for young users.
Snapchat’s introduction of new parental controls reflects its dedication to improving the safety of young users on its platform. By enabling parents to restrict AI chatbot interactions, access enhanced privacy settings, and easily navigate Family Center, Snapchat aims to empower parents in managing their teen’s online presence. These developments come at a time when social media platforms are facing increased scrutiny over child safety, and Snapchat’s expansion of parental controls demonstrates its commitment to addressing these concerns.
Analyst comment
Positive news. Snapchat is introducing new parental controls to address concerns over child safety and improve the platform’s safety for young users. Parents will have more control over their teen’s interactions with the AI chatbot, access enhanced privacy settings, and have easier access to Family Center. This reflects Snapchat’s dedication to providing a safer experience for young users and addressing growing concerns over child safety. The market is expected to respond positively to these developments as they enhance the platform’s reputation and attract more parents and teens to use Snapchat.
