Is Snapchat Safe for Kids? Here’s What Parents Should Know About This Social Media Platform

With the idea of disappearing messages and snaps, Snapchat has established a huge user base in the last decade. The fun and impressive filters of Snap Inc. have made it the top pick among youngsters. 

As per the data released by Pew Research Group 60% of Snapchat audience is teen, belonging to the age group of 13 to 17 years.

Its craze among the teenagers raises an important question for parents: ‘Is Snapchat Safe for kids?’ 

Join us as we embark on the journey of understanding how Snapchat works and see how this harmless fun application can turn into a cyber hazard for your child.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a popular multimedia sharing application, highly sought after among youngsters for its fun filters, casual interactions, and disappearing nature of content. On this platform, you can:

• Share snaps that disappear after being viewed.
• Chats that vanish after being read unless saved. 
• Voice call and video call using fun filters. 
• Share stories viewable by friends for 24 hours. 

Due to its fun and visual-first interaction, this social media app has become the first priority of teens. Leading to its popularity among young minds, parents today are concerned about its safety and wonder is Snapchat safe for kids! 

Navigate to the subsequent section to discover how safe this platform is for youngsters.

Is Snapchat Safe for Kids?

No, Snapchat is not considered a safe platform for young children, and parental guidance is recommended while using it.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what makes it unsafe for little minds!

• Nudes Exchange: Users on Snapchat share explicit and inappropriate content, thinking that it will disappear after viewing. Being exposed to such content is not safe for kids, and some predators may even pressure them into participating. 
• Reveals Location to Strangers: Snapchat for kids poses a problem of exposing the location to strangers via Snap Maps, threatening the overall safety and privacy. 
• Data Breach: Similar to other social media platforms, this application saves users’ location data, device information, and user interaction details. This data can be misused in the case of a data breach. 
• Addiction: Snap Inc. is quite an addictive platform. As per the data, users return to this application 30 times a day, leading to excessive screen time and app addiction among young users. 
• Risk of Drug Exposure: Drug peddlers use social media platforms to sell drugs using coded language or symbols. It can expose your children to drug culture and potential harm. 
• Leads to Body Image Issues: Snapchat filters alter the user’s physical appearance by slimming the face, enlarging eyes, etc., which sets unrealistic beauty standards and dissatisfaction with natural appearance, particularly among young users.
• Spreads Misinformation: The Discover feature of this application spreads fake news and can influence users’ perceptions or behaviors, causing potential harm. 

Also Read: 13 Best Android Parental Control Apps in 2025 | Unleash Cybersecurity With These Recommendations 

Is There Any Age Limit for Using Snapchat? 

Yes, as per Snapchat’s Terms of Service, users must be 13 years of age to create an account.

This rule is created with regard to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPA), which restricts data collection from users below 13 years of age. However, this age restriction can be easily bypassed with fake data submission, as Snapchat lacks the necessary measures to properly verify the age. 

Furthermore, users under 18 are required to have their parents’ permission to use the app. Accounts of kids below the age of 13 will be deleted to protect their online data and safety.

Does Snapchat Have Any Parental Control Features to Safeguard Kids?

Yes, Snapchat for kids does have an internal parental control system known as the Family Center.

To utilize Snapchat parental controls, you have to create an account and link it with your child’s account to 

• See who your child is interacting with.
• Block sensitive content.
• Access their friend list.
• Request location check-ins.

You can set up a family center by: 

1. Install Snapchat and search for Family Center.

   

2. Add your kid as friend.

   

3. Send an invitation link to your teen for joining Family Center.

   

4. Ask your child to accept the invitation. To receive the invitation, your teenager must below 18 years of age.

   

The moment your child accepts the invitation link, you’ll be able to watch their friend list and confidentially report an abuse without your teen noticing it. 

Are There Any Limitations of Snapchat Family Center?

Yes, Snapchat Family Center has certain limitations, which question the efficiency of its in-built parental control features.

• Doesn’t Give Access to Snaps or Chat Content: You cannot see what type of photos, snaps, or content your child has exchanged with other users. It only allows you to access the metadata, which involves who was messaged and when.

• Teen Must Accept the Invite: To activate the Family Center, you’ll need your little one’s permission, as they have to agree to link their account with you.  In case they decline the invitation or remove the connection later, the Family Center will become ineffective.

• Limited to Friends List and Interactions: It allows you to only access who your teen is friends with or who they’ve messaged in the last seven days, and doesn’t allow you to get access to full interaction history or who sent what. 

• Gives No Control Over Content Access: Family Center does not block the content available on Discover and Spotlight, even if it has mature themes.
• Doesn’t Allow Real-Time Location Tracking: It does not provide access to GPS or Snap Maps, due to which you can’t really track the whereabouts of your little fellow. Giving the teens the power to control whether their location is visible to you or not. 

How Can You Ensure Your Little One’s Safety on Snapchat? 

Though Snapchat for Kids has an in-built Family Center parental control feature, for enhanced safety, you can opt for the following measures: 

• Educate Your Kids About Snap Map: Warn your kids that they should not share their location on Snap Map with strangers, and explain to them how ghost mode is better for their safety.

• Have Open Communication With Them: Have a friendly conversation with your child to help them navigate the digital world safely. Introduce them to the potential threats on the application and tell them the content they share can be saved or kept as a screenshot.

• Monitor the App Usage: Keep an eye on your child’s activity on the app, see who they are communicating with, and make sure there are no suspicious people added to their friend list.

Also Read: Best Parental Control App for iPhone: Every Parent Must Know About 

Wrapping Up

The popularity of Snapchat overshadows its threats; that’s why teenagers don’t pay enough attention to the underlying security hazards. However, as a parent with the question, ‘Is Snapchat safe for kids?’, you can opt for SaferLoop parental control to maximize your little one’s safety and ensure they are exploring the virtual world in the safest way possible. 

SaferLoop guarantees your teen’s security by:

• Blocking all the age-inappropriate content and applications.
• Keeping track of your child’s digital footprints.
• Creates safe zones via geo-fencing and updates about the real-time location.
• Sends instant alerts the moment it identifies any threat.
• Fosters healthy screen habits by managing screen time. 
• Manages app permissions, blocks apps, and even uninstalls them remotely.

So wait no more; get SaferLoop, as it brings modern parenting the safest way!

Frequently Asked Questions

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