Snapchat is taking steps to ensure the safety of its teenage users by expanding its Family Center and providing more control options for parents. Under the new update, parents will have the ability to block their teens from interacting with Snapchat’s myAI chatbot. Although the chatbot was designed to provide a personalized experience, concerns were raised about its potential impact on young users.
The updated feature will allow teens to message myAI, but the chatbot will respond with a notification stating that it has been disabled. This change is meant to address parents’ concerns and give them greater control over their children’s online experiences.
In addition to the chatbot control, Snapchat will now provide parents with visibility into their teens’ safety and privacy settings. This includes information about who their child is sharing their posts with, who can contact them on the app, and whether their location is being shared on the Snap Map feature.
The Family Center, which was launched in 2022, allows parents to supervise the behavior of their 13- to 17-year-old children on Snapchat. It was introduced in response to widespread concerns about the safety of young users on various social media platforms.
These safety measures have become increasingly important for companies like Snapchat, as a federal judge recently ruled that they must face a lawsuit alleging that their services have caused addiction and other mental health harms to teen users. Snapchat and other companies cited Section 230 and the First Amendment in their defense.
Snapchat’s latest update also includes a “strike system” to combat the promotion of inappropriate content in its Stories and Spotlight sections. This feature helps to maintain a safe environment for teenagers while using the app.
With CEO Evan Spiegel scheduled to appear at a Senate subcommittee hearing on youth safety later this month, Snapchat is actively working to address concerns and improve the well-being of its younger users. The company aims to reflect the dynamics of real-world relationships between parents and teens, balancing insight with respect for privacy.
These updates to the Family Center and increased parental control options demonstrate Snapchat’s commitment to creating a safer online environment for teenagers. By empowering parents to protect their children, the platform is taking proactive measures to address the concerns surrounding the well-being of young users.
The source of the article is from the blog regiozottegem.be