Snapchat has recently unveiled a series of enhanced safety features aimed at protecting teenagers from potential online harms, particularly the prevalent issue of sextortion. The social media platform is taking proactive steps to prevent sexual and financial exploitation scams that target young users.
One of the key updates includes expanded warning pop-ups that alert teens when they receive messages from individuals they do not share mutual friends with or have in their contacts. Additionally, teens will now be notified if they receive a chat from a user who has been blocked or reported by others, or if the user is from a region where the teen's other contacts are not located, indicating potential scammer behavior.
To further safeguard teenagers, Snapchat will block the delivery of friend requests between accounts that do not share mutual friends and are located in regions associated with scammers. These measures are specifically designed to combat financial sextortion, a concerning trend where perpetrators manipulate young users into sending explicit content.
Snapchat's Global Head of Platform Safety emphasized that these features aim to protect teens from online threats and strengthen genuine connections on the platform. The company's efforts align with a broader industry focus on enhancing youth safety and combating online exploitation.
In response to the rise in online sextortion scams, other tech giants like Meta have also introduced new safety features to protect users. The collective efforts of social media companies underscore the importance of prioritizing user safety, especially for vulnerable demographics like children and teenagers.
Furthermore, Snapchat has improved its blocking tools to prevent users from circumventing blocks by creating new accounts. Any new accounts generated on the same device after a block will automatically be blocked as well, enhancing user control and security.
Additionally, Snapchat is enhancing its location-sharing features by providing users with more control over their location settings on the Snap Map feature. Users will receive regular reminders about their location settings and can customize who they share their location with, promoting transparency and privacy.
These updates complement Snapchat's existing safety measures for teens, such as the Family Center for parental supervision and content moderation tools. By prioritizing user safety and well-being, Snapchat aims to create a safer online environment for young users.
