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Snapchat on Tuesday announced a fresh suite of guard feature , let in update to its chronicle blocking functionality and enhance friending safeguard , create it unmanageable for strangers to contact users on its platform . The new move comes amid fear overpredators exploit teens on social medium apps , which often results in severe incidents , include sextortion .
One of the latest update to address such effect is improving Snapchat ’s live user blocking tool . It will block novel friend petition sent from bad actors who were already stymy by the substance abuser when they are send using other accounts created on the same twist . This will help further limit outreach from other survive or new accounts produce by the blocked report , Snap read in a statement .
Snapchat will also introduce more frequent reminders inform them about which acquaintance they portion out their positioning with on the Snap Map . Additionally , Snapchat will win a simplified localization - sharing feature , which will make it well-heeled to customize which friend can see their location . Snap commend that users only share their live locating with syndicate member or secretive friends .
Alongside the new location - sharing update , Snapchat is expound in - app pop - up warnings , first launchedin 2023 , that appear if they add a protagonist who does n’t share mutual friends or is not a part of their touch . The update will add another pop - up message to warn users if they receive a chat from someone who has been blocked or reported by other users or is from a part where the teen ’s friend internet is not typically located . This feature will ab initio be available in the U.S. , U.K. , Canada , Australia , New Zealand , Nordics and parts of Europe at launch .
Another new friending safeguard will prevent the delivery of acquaintance petition if a stripling transport or receive a request from someone they do not divvy up mutual friend with and the mortal has a account of accessing Snapchat in locations often linked with scams . This is an accession to the earlier feature of speech thatrestricted teenager from getting friend suggestionsof an account in Quick Add or Search unless they have multiple reciprocal connections . The new feature is currently available in a select few countries and will presently be plunge in India in a more localized cast , the company said .
“ Our newest safety features are all about supporting genuine friendships , authorise adolescent to make smart choices , and ensure that every Snapchatter feels secure and confident while using our app , ” said Uthara Ganesh , Head of Public Policy , South Asia , Snap , in a program line .
Snapchat has been quite popular among teens , withover 20 million using the app in the U.S. alone , per Snap CEO Evan Spiegel during the Senate Judiciary Committee earshot in January . However , the app — alongside other social spiritualist political program — isoften criticizedfor not taking substantial steps to safeguard small-scale drug user .