Snapchat recently released Snapmap, a location feature that tracks the user in real time. What this means, is that if your child has this feature turned on, someone can see exactly where they are at any given moment. It’s never a good idea for kids to post information where they might be found in-person so this feature poses a lot of potential problems. The good news, is that it’s easy to disable.
How does Snapmap work?
- When enabled, the user’s Bitmoji Avatar (the cartoon they’ve created to look like them) will be visible to their friends, as well as the public if their account is not private. Their Avatar will be shown walking around in their current location on the map. They will also see where their friends and public users are located.
- Public events and videos will also be visible as well as a “heat map” where lots of public users are posting.
How can I tell if Snapmap is enabled?
- Snapchat is not always easy to use and this feature is a little tricky to locate. When you open Snapchat it should open the camera.
- Squeeze your fingers together on the camera screen and the map should appear. You can then tell if the feature is enabled or not.
How to turn Snapmap off:
Step 1: Click on your avatar and open your settings by clicking on the wheel in the upper right hand corner.
Step 2: Open your settings and click on Who Can “See My Location”
Step 3: Make sure “Ghost Mode” is turned on.
Step 4: Go back to the camera (Home) screen and pinch your fingers together to bring up the map.It should look like this (with a ghost for a head)…
