Highlands E-Safety Update: SnapMap
Important message for Parents and Carers!
Recently Snapchat have released a new update which automatically (unless activated ghost mode) displays a map of nearby friends, showing their latest location gathered using a smartphone's GPS sensor.
Users of the app can also search for locations such as individual schools, with the app displaying public photos and videos sent by students. While the feature is designed to help friends meet up or attend events together it has raised fears that it could be abused.
The UK Safer Internet Centre said:
"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."
"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."
How to disable Snapmaps
To hide your location from friends, you can easily turn on ghost mode in Snap Map.
To do this, pinch the screen when you are in selfie mode to bring up Snap Map.
Then, click the settings icon in the top right hand corner and set the phone to "ghost mode".
Then Snapchat will stop sharing your location.
For more guidance on Snapchat please see: Childnet