How safe is snapchat for my child

Parents' Ultimate Guide to Snapchat

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Is Snapchat safe for kids? How does it work? And what's with Snapstreaks? Everything curious parents need to know about this ultra-popular app.

By Christine Elgersma | March 9, 2021

Topics: Cellphones and Devices Social Media

If you have tweens or teens, you know about Snapchat. And if you can't figure out how it works, you're like many parents. One of the most popular social media apps out there, Snapchat gives kids and teens what they really want: a simple way to share everyday moments while simultaneously making them look awesome. And unlike Facebook and Twitter, which record and broadcast everything you do, Snapchat uses messages that are meant to disappear (learn more about how they actually don't). Like so many social media apps, Snapchat is a mixed bag, so it's a good idea to understand how it works, how your kids use it, and how much time they spend on it so you can make sure their experiences are positive.

Something about snapping, sharing, and then quickly moving on from life's little moments has massive appeal for kids. And for the most part, that's what they use Snapchat for. But the app offers a lot more stuff, including games, news and entertainment, quizzes, and even serialized shows from top pop-culture brands.

With a constantly updated supply of photo filters, effects, and fun features, Snapchat feels like a party. But the app poses some risks: Snap Map lets friends see each other's location on a map, which isn't always safe; Snapstreaks requires kids to exchange messages for as long as possible, which is a major time-suck; Discover offers some age-inappropriate content; and Quick Add allows kids to connect with a wide circle of strangers. With your guidance on privacy, safety, social media pressure, and marketing, though, Snapchat can be a fun way for teens to connect. Check out our full review to get the whole scoop.

What is Snapchat?

How does Snapchat work?

How old do you have to be to use Snapchat?

Do messages really disappear on Snapchat?

What are Snapstreaks?

What's Snap Map?

What's a Snapchat story?

What's a Snapcode?

What's Discover?

What are Snapchat's other features?

Is Snapchat safe for tweens and teens?

How do I monitor Snapchat and use the settings?

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (called snaps) that are meant to disappear after they're viewed. It's advertised as a "new type of camera" because the essential function is to take a picture or video, add filters, lenses, or other effects and share them with friends.

How does Snapchat work?

All you need to sign up is your name, an email address, and your birth date. On Snapchat, users go by a handle, and Snapchatters gravitate toward silly names. To add friends, you can upload your contacts or search for people you know. You can also automatically add someone by taking a picture of their "Snapcode," a special QR code unique to each user.

After that, things get a little confusing. On Snapchat, photos -- not text -- usually start the communication. To begin a conversation, you tap the big camera circle and take a snap. There are all sorts of photo-editing tools (you have to experiment to figure out what they do) as well as filters to adorn your images. Once you customize your snap, you can send it to anyone on your friends list, add it to your story (which is a record of the day that your friends can view for 24 hours), and add it to Snap Map (which displays your photo on a map of your location that can be viewed by anyone on Snapchat).

Snapchat provides several options for texting and managing photos. In addition to individual texting, Snapchat also offers group texting and group stories that everyone in a group can contribute to. You can delete the text messages you send, though in a group chat the other people will see that you've deleted something. In terms of Snaps, you can delete unopened ones that use a saved picture (not taken on the spot). You can't delete snaps that include pictures you just took (and didn't save).

How old do you have to be to use Snapchat?

According to the terms of service, users must be 13. You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.

Do messages really disappear on Snapchat?

It depends. If you set a time limit on a snap, it will disappear after it's viewed. However, recipients can take a screenshot of an image using their phones or a third-party screen-capture app. A phone screen-capture will notify the sender that the image was captured. But third-party apps don't trigger a notification. For these reasons, it's best that teens understand that nothing done online is really temporary. Before sending a sexy or embarrassing snap of themselves or someone else, it's important to remember that the picture could circulate the school by tomorrow morning.

What are Snapstreaks?

With a Snapstreaks, two users have snapped back and forth within a 24-hour period for three days in a row. Once you've established a streak, special emojis and statistics display next to the streakers' names to show you how long you've maintained a streak. Why do they matter? For one thing, they add to your overall Snapchat score (basically a number that reflects how much you use the app). For another, they can occasionally become the most important thing in a kid's life. Because of the intense bonds kids can form over social media, they can feel that a Snapstreak is a measure of their friendship, and if they don't keep it up they'll let the other person down. Teens have even been known to give friends access to their Snapchat accounts to keep a streak going if they can't do it themselves (for example, if their phone gets taken away for being online too much). This can lead to feelings of pressure, anxiety, and compulsion, so it's good to know if your kid has streaks going to get a window into why that selfie might feel really important.

What's Snap Map?

Snap Map displays your location on a map in real time. Only your Snapchat friends can see where you are. If your friends have opted into Snap Map, you can see their locations, too. (You can turn this off or use it in Ghost Mode, which allows you to see the map but not be seen by others.) Snap Map also features news and events from around the world -- for example, a political rally in Nicaragua, which displays as an icon on a map of the world. Kids can submit snaps to the Snap Map, and their name and location could appear on a public map. But the bigger risk with Snap Map is a teen having their location seen by all their friends -- since some of their Snapchat contacts may not be real friends. Unless there's a specific event and it makes it easier for friends to know each other's location, it's best to leave Snap Maps off or use it in Ghost Mode.

What's a Snapchat story?

A story is a collection of moments in the form of pictures and videos that, taken together, create a narrative. (After Snapchat popularized the format, other social media services, including Facebook and Instagram, offered story-creation tools, too.) On Snapchat, stories appear as circles, and when you tap them, they autoplay the pictures or videos the user collected. You can create personal stories that your friends can view for a 24-hour period. Or, if you think your Snap is particularly interesting or newsworthy, you can send it to Our Story. Our Stories are kind of like mini-documentaries of events, holidays, game championships, or other things happening in the world on a particular day. Snaps are curated and compiled by the company. While it's cool to have your story added to Our Story, it's also very public, so kids should think carefully before submitting one.

What's a Snapcode?

When you sign up, Snapchat gives you your own unique QR code. When you meet a fellow Snapchat user and want to friend each other, you can just take a snap of the other person's code, and they're automatically added to your friends list. Because it's so easy to find friends on Snapchat (depending on your settings) or exchange codes, teens may end up with virtual strangers on their friends list. For a variety of reasons, that can be risky, so it's best to talk to your teen about when it's safe to add people.

What's Discover?

Discover offers content created by celebrities, news and entertainment outlets, and other users. You can subscribe to specific Discover sources to receive their feeds. While Discover offers some legitimate news from publishers including the New York Times and Vice Media, the offerings can be promotional and are frequently mature or outlandish (such as people with extreme plastic surgery or rare medical conditions). But if your kid has signed up with their correct birth date, they'll miss the alcohol ads and other adult content that Snapchat filters out for underage users. Discover stories often feature promos prompting kids to "swipe up" to learn more (which usually leads to ads) or take a quiz (which is usually a marketing tool). This section runs the gamut from harmless to shocking, so it's good to look around and get a sense of what your kids are seeing.

What are Snapchat's other features?

Snapchat is waaaay more than cute photos. The more you use the app, the more points you get and the higher your Snapchat score goes. Snapchat awards high scorers with trophies and other perks. Here are a few other Snapchat features:

Cameos: These are animated GIFs featuring your selfie that you can send in a chat. Snapchat offers more than 150 video options to add your image to, including "duets" where you and a friend appear together.
Face lenses and world lenses: If you've seen photos of people with cartoon cat ears and whiskers on their faces, those are face lenses. World lenses are augmented reality elements, such as rainbows, that you can add to a snap of, say, the Eiffel Tower so it looks like it's part of the photo. Technically, lenses are "overlays" -- and they cost money on Snapchat.
Geo-filters: These are location-specific elements that can only be unlocked by visiting a specific place. Businesses use geo-filters as a way for customers to check in and advertise them. A kid could create a special geo-filter for their sweet-16 party for attendees to add to their photos.
Snapcash: Like PayPal or Venmo, Snapcash lets users transfer money to each other.
Memories: If you don't want your snaps to disappear, you can store them to send later. My Eyes Only is a way to save Memories behind a passcode so that no one else can see them.
Snapstore: This is exactly what it sounds like: a place to buy Snapchat-related items.
Shazam: A feature that helps you identify a song.
Snap Games: Co-play games with voice/text chat and ads, launched from the chat section to play with friends.
Snap Originals: These are short, serialized shows created exclusively for Snapchat in a wide range of formats from docuseries to talk shows, from the likes of BuzzFeed, the E! Network, and MTV.
Sounds: TikTok-like feature that allows users to include music with snaps.
Spotlight: This is another TikTok-like feature that aggregates snaps submitted by users into one giant feed. Once you send in a Spotlight, it's public and can be viewed by anyone on or off the platform.

Is Snapchat safe for tweens and teens?

Most kids use Snapchat to goof around and stay in contact with their friends -- end of story. Yes, there's some mature content, but it's appropriate for most teens 16 and up. That said, there are three key risky areas:

The myth of disappearing messages. When Snapchat first started, it was labeled "the sexting app" because people sent intimate photos, assuming they'd self-destruct. Any app can be misused, but a lot of kids mistakenly believe that Snapchat has a built-in Get Out of Jail Free card. Teens really need to understand that the content they share can be saved and shared and may never go away. It's best to have this conversation before they download Snapchat, but it's never too late. Talk about whether any of their friends have ever pressured them to send a sexy image and discuss why someone who would do that does not have your best interests at heart. Kids should also ask permission before sharing a picture of someone else.

The time suck. Snapchat is a ton of fun to use, and there's lots to discover on it. Snapstreaks and stories add a time-pressure element that makes kids feel like they have to check in. If it ever seems like your kid is stressing and not using the app for fun, it's time to step in.

Privacy and safety. Since it's so easy to add friends in Snapchat, you can end up with lots of people you don't know well on your friends list. And depending on your settings, the app can collect a ton of data about your habits in -- and outside of -- the app. Snapchat also works with a lot of third parties that they share your data with.

How do I monitor Snapchat and use the settings?

The biggest challenge for parents is that there's no way to see your kid's activity in the app in the same way as on other social media platforms. Since there's no feed to scroll through like on Instagram, for example, there's not much to monitor.

IIf you decide to say yes to Snapchat, focus on the privacy settings. Sit down with your kid and together go into the app's settings (the little gear icon next to your profile image). Scroll down to "Who Can..." This is where you can control important safety features such as who can see your location and who can view your story. This is a perfect time to talk to your kid about using their Snapchat account safely and responsibly. Discuss when and how often you'll check in on how they're using it and how they're feeling about it. Explain that you understand that social media is important to them, and, at the same time, your role is to protect them. Don't forget to ask your teen to show you some of their snaps and some of the cool features they like in the app. That'll make it a little less scary for you -- and send the message that you're on the same team.

Snapchat's new child safety features will allow parents to see who their kids are talking to

U.S.

By Li Cohen

August 10, 2022 / 8:27 AM / CBS News

Tech execs face questions on child safety

TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube execs questioned by lawmakers during hearing on protecting kids online 03:04

Snapchat has unveiled a plan to make its disappearing photo app safer for children and teens. The new features, which include allowing parents to see who their children are talking to on the app, are part of the app's Family Center, which will roll out through the fall months.

"Today, Snapchat is a central communications tool for young people, and as our community continues to grow, we know parents and caregivers want additional ways to help keep their teens safe," Snapchat said in its announcement on Tuesday. People as young as 13 years old can use the app, prompting the company to work with families and experts to create "extra protections" for teens.

The newest feature is an in-app tool called Family Center that allows parents to oversee their children's accounts.

Snapchat's newly unveiled Family Center in-app tool. Snapchat

The home area of the Family Center displays three options: view the child's friends, see who they've messaged in the past week and report abuse or safety concerns. The feature will not allow parents to see the contents of any of the conversations their children are having.

"Family Center is designed to reflect the way that parents engage with their teens in the real world, where parents usually know who their teens are friends with and when they are hanging out — but don't eavesdrop on their private conversations," the company said. "...Our goal is to help empower parents and teens in a way that still protects a teenager's autonomy and privacy."

Snapchat also plans to roll out a feature in the coming weeks for parents to see new friends their children have added to their accounts. This fall, the company will also add content controls for parents and a feature that allows teens to notify parents when they report a problematic account or content.

The Family Center is a new addition to other features Snapchat has for its teen users. Currently, teen users must be mutual friends with someone before they can communicate with them on the app, and they do not have public profiles. Their accounts also only show up in the "suggested friend" area of Snapchat or in search results in "limited instances," Snapchat said, such as if there is a mutual friend.

The news comes days after Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, introduced the Combating Harmful Actions with Transparency on Social Act of 2022, or the CHATS Act, to the House. The bill would modify the federal crime reporting system to include data from internet platforms related to criminal offenses.

In a July post and livestream on Facebook, Gottheimer said the bill is a way to "combat social media preying on our children."

The Organization for Social Media Safety thanks Rep Josh Gottheimer and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for their...
Posted by Organization for Social Media Safety on Thursday, July 21, 2022

"The lack of transparency and accountability for these companies has led to grave consequences for our families and our country," he said. The livestream also featured celebrity therapist Laura Berman and Samuel Chapman, whose 16-year-old son died from an overdose after buying fentanyl-laced Xanax from a drug dealer on Snapchat.

"Sammy was able to buy drugs on Snapchat as easily as he would order a pizza," Berman says in a PSA about her son's 2021 death. "They were delivered to our home in the middle of the night and were laced with lethal fentanyl without his knowledge. And that's what killed him."

TV host and therapist Laura Berman on her 16-year-old son's drug overdose 07:16

Is Snapchat Safe: A Parent's Guide

Apps and Platforms

Latest

The Internet Matters Team | September 13, 2022

We are working with industry, government and schools to provide UK families with the tools, advice and resources to help children use connected technology effectively and safely.

Watch a video about mom blogger Adele Jennings to find out what you need to know

Snapchat, a real-time photo and video sharing app, averages 210 million snaps per day. We provide you with everything you need to know about the app.

What's on the page

What is Snapchat?
How does Snapchat work?
What is the minimum age for Snapchat?
Does Snapchat have any privacy or security features?
Snapchat games
Latest Snapchat updates: New Snapchat Family Center

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a popular social media messaging application that allows you to send and receive images and videos (called Snap) to users. Snap Inc is the app developer and also creates other products such as Snapchat Spectacles.

It is available for both Android and iOS users and can be downloaded for free.

Credit: TechCrunch.

How does Snapchat work?

It was originally a private photo sharing application. However, Snapchat features now include short videos, games, video chat, messaging, photo storage space, and more.

Every snap shared with your followers is temporary and available for 24 hours unless you delete it or set another limit. You can also add various filters, lenses, emoticons and text to your Snap. In addition, you can create a group chat to chat with friends or send messages to individual friends.

In addition to the above, Snapchat has Discovery and Spotlight areas.

Open function - works like a news feed with content from news publishers and famous people. Some use this feature to meet new people.
Spotlight Feature - Working like TikTok, Spotlight is a dedicated tab in Snapchat to promote short viral videos. The Spotlight feature will use an algorithm to recommend the "most interesting" posts to view based on what the user is interested in.

To register, users must download the social network application on their device. Then they must enter their date of birth and create a username and password. Users are then asked to enter their mobile phone number. This is an optional step that will help you if your account gets banned. However, you can use email if you wish.

Learn how to set up privacy and security settings on the Snapchat social platform to help your child feel more secure.

See manual

Snap Family Center Parent's Guide

What is the minimum age for Snapchat?

Like many other social networks, the minimum age to use Snapchat is 13 years old.

Does Snapchat have any privacy or security features?

Snapchat introduced the Security Advisory Council, which "educates, challenges, raises concerns, and advises Snapchat users on how to keep the Snapchat community safe."
In addition to the usual reports, blocking and disabling location features, Snapchat also introduced the following:

Here for you is a mental health feature that provides proactive in-app support for Snapchat users who may be experiencing mental health or emotional crisis, or who may be interested in learning more about these problems and how they can help friends solve them.
Security snapshot is Snapchat's digital literacy program aimed at educating Snapchat users about data, privacy, security, and online safety.
Updated privacy for kids under 18 - No viewable public profiles for Snapchat users under 18.
Default chat features - By default, you can't chat or contact anyone directly unless both of you have added each other as friends.

Take a look at our Snapchat Privacy Parental Controls for information on how to enable certain settings.

Snapchat games

The Snapchat Snap Games gaming feature offers a variety of competitive and non-competitive games that you can play with your friends. It also has a voice and chat feature where you can send text messages or stream audio in real time. Users can also earn in-game rewards such as coins or items by watching ads, however Snapchat has stated that "video rewards may not be available to all Snapchat users" but does not specify what criteria you must meet.

Snap Games can be accessed from the Snapchat app.

Snapchat Latest Updates

As of Feb 2021

Wheelchair Bitmoji Representation for Project Inclustivity
Snapchat emoticons, called Bitmoji, introduced a set of accessible Bitmoji for Snapchatters, such as Wheelchair Bitmoji.

Coming soon

Friend Check
Safer Internet Day (9February 2021) Snapchat introduced the Friend Verification feature. The feature will prompt Snapchat users to look through their friend lists and make sure they are made up of people they still want to be in touch with. The Friend Check Up program is available for Android devices and will be available for iOS devices in the coming months.

Snapchat Family Center launched

What is Snapchat Family Center?

Snapchat introduced Family Center to help parents connect with their teens in their digital world. This feature allows parents to easily view new friends their teens have added, however it will not display the content of the conversations, protecting their teens' privacy. According to Snap, this will "reflect how parents interact with their teens in the real world, where parents usually know who their teens are friends with and when they hang out."

Using the Snapchat Family Center, parents will be able to report accounts that may be related directly to Snapchat's trust and safety teams. Teens will also be able to notify parents when they report an account or piece of content on the platform.

Watch this video to learn more about the Snapchat Family Center security feature.

What Snapchat Family Center lets parents do

Find out which Snapchat friends their teens have sent messages, photos, or videos in the past seven days in a way that protects teens' privacy without revealing the actual content of their conversations (Snaps and messages).
See the full list of their teens' existing friends.
Allow parents to easily view new friends their teens have added, making it easier to start conversations about who their new contacts are
Easily and confidentially report any accounts that may be of concern to parents directly to our 24/7 trust and safety teams for investigation.
Access key explanations on how to use these tools; resources for starting important conversations with teens; and additional usage tips
Snapchat safe Teens who subscribe to Family Center will also be able to see what their parents see with mirrored features.

Explore more

If you want to learn more about Snapchat and other similar apps, here are a few places you can visit:

Parents & Educators - Snap Inc.

We believe that the experience of being on the Internet is directly dependent on the availability of opportunities for safe, creative and positive communication.

As a parent or educator, you probably know that Snapchat is a messaging, photo, and video app that is one of the few ways teenagers can communicate with each other today. From the very beginning, we have focused on helping real friends communicate when they are far apart, as well as express themselves and appreciate every moment. We understand that you want to protect your child and educate them on how to use our app.

To learn how to use the app, check out some of Snapchat's basic features and download our Snapchat Parent's Guide. In it, you will learn additional information that will allow you and your family members to safely express their feelings and emotions, live in the present, learn about the world around them and have fun with friends.

Snapchat Parent's Guide

Getting Started

The first thing to understand is that Snapchat is more than just photo and video messages that can disappear. At the bottom of the screen is the action bar, which consists of four main sections:
- Snap Map screen: Tap the leftmost tab to open a personalized map linked to your places and friends.
- Chat screen: Click the chat tab to the left of the camera icon to access messages. Snapchatters can chat with friends here.
- Stories screen: Swipe left to access the main teen news source. Here you can find stories and content from the "Interesting" section.
- Spotlight screen: Click the far right Play button to watch exciting Snaps shared by our community members.
- Swipe up to access Memories, where you can view saved Snaps and stories.

Stories

The Stories section shows stories from leading publications (The Wall Street Journal, Wired, National Geographic), entertainment sites, and the Snapchat app itself, which posts collections of custom Snaps around specific topics.
Snapchatters can also see the stories of their friends, celebrities, and popular accounts in the Stories section.
To see fewer stories from news or entertainment publications, simply press and hold on a story, then select Hide.
To see fewer stories from friends, go to a friend's profile and tap the ⋮ button in the right corner of the screen. Then select the "Remove story from feed" option.

Maps

Be sure to read and check your privacy settings. (More on that below.) This primarily applies to the Snap Card, which is found on the leftmost tab in the action bar.
Snapchat doesn't show your location by default, but the first time you open Snap Map, you'll be prompted to choose whether to show location to specific friends, all friends, or no one.
You can view and change these permissions at any time in the Snap Map settings menu (just tap the gear icon at the top of the Snap Map screen).

Privacy settings

To view your Snapchat settings, go to the Camera screen, tap the Profile icon at the top and then the gear icon.
Scroll down to "Who can..." to restrict who can message you, view your stories, or see your location on a map.
Also select See me in the Add Now list. If this feature is enabled, you will be listed in the "Add Now" list of a wider group of Snapchatters, including friends of your friends and all members of previous group chats with you.
Privacy is Snapchat's top priority! More information can be found in the Privacy Center.

Snap Runs

When friends exchange Snaps within a 24-hour period, they enter a Snap Run, which is represented by the 🔥 emoji next to their username on the Friends screen. The number next to the emoji shows how many days the marathon lasts.
Snap marathons are a fun way to see who you hang out with the most. These marathons are only visible to the two users who share the Snap.

Security Support

You can report security threats to Snap through an in-app message or support page.
On this page, you can get more information, including helpful tips for using Snapchat safely.

Snap takes security issues such as bullying and harassment extremely seriously. While most use Snapchat to have fun with friends, we understand that any app that facilitates communication has the potential to be misused. We encourage our teen users to follow the Community Guidelines and School Rules, apply helpful safety tips, and tell parents about their safety concerns.

Security

Q. How can I keep my teen safe on Snapchat?

Here are some basic security tips for Snapchat. You can also check out the Parent's Guide. We encourage you to talk directly with your teen about how to use Snapchat safely.

Q. I fear my teen is being bullied on Snapchat.

Bullying or abuse of any kind is not allowed on Snapchat. Your teen may use one or more of the following methods.

Report Snap: Press and hold a Snap or story, or press the ⋮ button in the upper right corner, then select Report Snap. Tell us what's going on and we'll do our best to help! You can also report any other kind of content you receive. To learn more about complaints, download our Snapchat Quick Guide to Complaining!
Block: If someone sends your teen inappropriate Snaps or chat messages, you can always block that account. Just go to that user's profile, click on the three horizontal dots in the top right corner, then select "Block".
Change privacy settings. If your teen is getting a Snap from someone outside of their friends list, make sure their account is private. Then receiving Snaps and chat messages is possible only from users already added as friends. Learn how to change your privacy settings.
Leave the group chat . If your teen is being bullied in a group chat, they can leave that chat at any time.
- To leave a group chat without going into it, simply press and hold the group name on the Friends screen, then tap the three horizontal dots in the top right corner and select Leave Group.

Q. How do I control what content my teen sees on the Explore page?

You need to regularly talk to your teen about proper use of Snapchat and browse Interesting together. You can also unsubscribe from certain content on the Explore page, such as publisher stories, official stories, and featured stories, or you can opt out of certain content. Simply press and hold on the relevant area of the Explore screen, and then select Hide or Unfollow.

Q. My teen worries about a friend whose Snaps are increasingly about depression and self-harm. How can we help?

If it is convenient for you or your teen to contact this friend, please encourage them to seek help. If you feel uncomfortable talking to this person, please contact our Snapchat Trust & Safety team.

Our primary goal is to provide users with a secure environment while ensuring that their privacy is protected. As part of this task, we have implemented a number of features in the application aimed at combating self-harm and other security threats. Snapchatters can use the in-app complaints to contact us to report a person in a crisis. The message will reflect the relevant Snap or story, allowing us to better assess the situation and take appropriate action.

If you think a person is in immediate danger , contact local law enforcement immediately!

Account Security

Q. How do I keep my teen's Snapchat account secure?

Remind your teen again that they should never, under any circumstances, share their password with anyone, not even us. Snapchat never, repeat , never asks for your password. In any situation, we do not need it in order to help you. If a teen has shared any information about their account with an unofficial Snapchat site or a friend and believes their account is at risk, this link provides useful information about hacked accounts and possible next steps.

In addition, you can offer a teenager to enable two-factor authentication with login confirmation. If a teenager's account is hacked, let them report it to us as soon as possible!

Q. I want to know what my teen is doing on Snapchat . I think he is in danger. Can you provide me with his login information?

Protecting the privacy of snapchatters, including your teen, is very important to us, and as a matter of law, we cannot provide you with their account login information.

We encourage you to discuss the safety of using Snapchat directly with your teen. If you think that using the Snapchat app is dangerous for him, you can deactivate his account. However, in order to log in and delete your account, you will need a username and password.

For more information about uninstalling the Snapchat app or using built-in parental controls, visit the Apple Help Center (for Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) or the Google Play Help Center (for Android devices). For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.