愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Snapchat rolls out option to let parents see who their teens are messaging

On August 9, Snapchat introduced its first parental control center, aimed at helping parents keep their teens safe. (Adobe Stock/CNN)
On August 9, Snapchat introduced its first parental control center, aimed at helping parents keep their teens safe. (Adobe Stock/CNN)
Share

Snapchat on Tuesday introduced its first parental control center, nearly 10 months after an executive from the company told Congress it was developing tools aimed at helping parents keep their teens safe.

The new tool, called Family Center, promises to give parents more insight into who their teenagers are communicating with on the messaging app 鈥 without divulging the content of those conversations. Parents must create their own Snapchat account, and teens have to opt-in and give permission for them to use the feature.

"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 鈥 but don't eavesdrop on their private conversations," the company said in a blog post.

After disclosures from a last fall raised concerns about the company's impact on younger users, executives from Snapchat's parent company, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram were grilled by Congress about the steps they take to protect teens.

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection raised concerns that social media platforms have been used to harm kids and promote destructive acts, such as vandalism in schools, deadly viral challenges, bullying, eating disorders and manipulative influencer marketing. Jennifer Stout, Snap VP of global public policy, told Congress "there is more work to be done" and said the company was developing to help protect young users.

Several apps have introduced new options in recent months to bolster parental controls and protections for younger users. Instagram, for example, tools that offer parents visibility into the accounts their kids follow or are followed by, and how much time they spend on the apps.

While this is Snapchat's first foray into parental controls, it did have a few existing safety measures for young users, such as requiring teens to be mutual friends before they can start communicating with each other and prohibiting them from having public profiles.

Snap said it plans to add more features to Family Center in the coming months. Some of the new tools will include the ability for parents to see which new friends their teens have added, allow them to confidentially report concerning accounts that may be interacting with their child, and give younger users the option to notify their parents when they report an account or piece of content. The company said it consulted online safety experts in developing the features.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

WATCH LIVE

WATCH LIVE

The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.

Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.