Parents' Ultimate Guide: How to Set Parent Controls on Snapchat

Snapchat is a messaging app that allows users to send images, videos, and texts with time limits ranging from a few seconds to longer. Users can take a photo or video with the in-app camera, set a time limit, and select who to send it to. Kids can watch "snaps" (posts) from other creators, and submit their own snaps to be highlighted in the Spotlight section. If location features are enabled, kids can use Snap Map to see where their friends are. There is a built-in AI chatbot that kids can communicate with, which can be. It is against Snapchat policy for users to be under age 13, though this is based on self-reported ages, so kids can submit false birthdays when creating accounts. 

Because the outgoing and incoming pictures, videos, and texts only last for short periods, the app has gained a reputation as a potential sexting platform. Some curated content also features harsh language, sexual material, violence, and ads. With its excess of filters, the app can push unrealistic beauty standards onto impressionable teens. For users in California, the state CCPA, you have the right to protect your personal information when using the app, with options in the Safety Center. Check out our full review of Snapchat for more details.

Snapchat can be a fun way for kids to stay up to date with their friends, but using the platform can also expose them to inappropriate content and disappearing messages from peers or unfamiliar individuals, including AI chatbots. There are also concerns about location sharing with the Snap Map, like strangers having access to kids' locations, or people using the Snap Map to market drugs. There have also been reports of messages directed at kids that promote the sale of drugs or other illicit material. The protective settings are available only through your child's account settings and cannot be accessed through the family center. That means kids have to consent to these setting changes for them to work. 

Unwanted contact with strangers via messages and Snap Map: By default, anyone can contact kids on Snapchat, whether they're actual friends or not. Because messages disappear, it's difficult to monitor what's being shared. To limit contact with strangers, you can adjust the settings on your child's profile by tapping the gear icon, then tapping Contact Me and selecting the Friends option. Remember, kids can still add new friends anytime, so it's smart to check their friend list regularly, or have conversations with your kids about who they're friends with on the platform. You or your child can also block or report users from your or your child's profile, if needed.

Inappropriate content in messages, both with friends and with strangers, and also in Stories and Spotlight: Teens can encounter explicit or mature material in messages (from friends or strangers), as well as in Stories and Spotlight videos. Kids can also receive harmful or dangerous messages from anyone on Snapchat in disappearing chats, and bullying can happen quickly and privately, so it's important to have open conversations with your kids about who is connecting with them. While they can report inappropriate Stories by long-pressing or tapping the three dots to explain why, there's no way to fully block inappropriate content.

My AI chatbot: The app automatically adds an AI chatbot called My AI to kids' friend lists. Kids can interact with the chatbot and receive responses that pose unacceptable risks to teens and children under 18, including encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions. See more about the risks of social AI companions in our AI risk assessment. The chatbot cannot be removed unless the user subscribes to Snapchat Plus. However, the user can delete AI data on a regular basis by tapping the gear icon in settings, going to account actions, and clearing AI data.

Location sharing: You can turn off your kid’s location on their device by going to their settings, navigating to the gear icon, selecting ghost mode to hide location from everyone or from specific people, and turn off live location updates. You can also tap on the arrow on the Snap Map to see location settings. Kids can also set in-app reminders to prompt them to confirm whether they'd like to continue sharing their location after a period of time, so they can make more deliberate choices about who knows their location.

My AI chatbot: The app automatically adds an AI chatbot called My AI to kids' friend lists. Kids can interact with the chatbot and receive responses that pose unacceptable risks to teens and children under 18, including encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions. See more about the risks of social AI companions in our AI risk assessment. The chatbot cannot be removed unless the user subscribes to Snapchat Plus. However, the user can delete AI data on a regular basis by tapping the gear icon in settings, going to account actions, and clearing AI data.

My Dreams: This built-in feature uses AI to generate new images based on selfies that users provide. The feature can create fantastical images with children's likenesses. We recommend turning the feature off. To do so, go to the profile icon in the top left, tap the gear icon for settings, scroll down to AI selfies, and toggle the feature off. You can also clear existing images in the same place to prevent future creations from this same material. Kids can also customize who can generate dreams using their selfies, and, if they choose, set it to "only me."

Screen time management, notifications, and streak notifications: Children can be bombarded with notifications every time a message is sent, encouraging continuous use. To manage screen time, your child can adjust their settings. To do so, tap the profile image on their device, navigate to settings, tap notification settings, and decide which notifications you'd like to receive. 

Story views: Kids can post public photos or videos to their Stories, leaving them vulnerable to accidentally sharing private or personal information with strangers. To avoid this, you can manage who can see your kids' story by going to their profile and tapping the gear icon, then privacy control, and then tap View my story and select friends only.

Snapchat's parental controls are in its Family Center, an in-app hub that gives parents limited visibility into their teen's Snapchat activity. Family Center allows parents to see who their teens are messaging, set limited content controls, disable the My AI chatbot, and share and request location with teens. 

Parents must send an invitation to link their own account with their teen's, and the teen must opt in (accept the invitation) for Family Center within 24 hours to activate the connection. See the full instructions below. Note: If a teen's account is (incorrectly) set to age 18 or higher, they may not be eligible to enter into Family Center supervision without changing their date of birth. 

Here is what parents are able to control through the Snapchat Family Center:

Content:

• Restrict sensitive content: Parents can limit a teen's exposure to sensitive content in Stories and Spotlight by toggling on the Block Sensitive Content switch.

Communication:

• See who teens are chatting with: Parents can see who their kids have communicated with in the last seven days.
• See kids' full friends list and group members in group chats: This includes the accounts they are friends with and any recent friend additions. You can also see accounts that have been a part of groups your child has been in.

Privacy:

• See some of their teens' privacy and safety settings: Parents can see settings the teen has chosen, such as whether the teen allows Everyone, Friends of Friends, or Friends to send messages. Parents can also see whether Stories are shared with Everyone, Friends of Friends, or just Friends. For added safety, parents can also see who their teen has added as friends and if their teen reports someone or blocks a user.
• Disable My AI: Block My AI, Snapchat's generative AI chatbot, from interacting with your teen. 

Snap Map:

• Request your teen's location: You can request your teen's location on Snap Map and view their privacy and safety settings. You can also request your teen's location directly through Family Center, and share your own location with them. The Family Center also lets you see who your kids are sharing their location with on their Snap Map.
• Set location notifications: You can choose three specific locations and receive notifications when teens depart from or arrive at the location.

More: 

• Birthday settings: View your teen's birthday settings to check whether the teen's age is set in a way that's consistent with Snapchat's youth account features.
• Report concerns: You can report accounts you're concerned about to Snapchat's trust and safety team.
• Note: Teens can see a mirrored view of what parents can see.

How do I set up Snapchat Family Center? 

• If you are a parent or guardian over the age of 25, you can create your own profile with an age-appropriate email address, along with your own login and password.
• From your profile, go to Add friends and add your child by their username.
• Return to your profile, tap the gear icon, then privacy control, then family center.
• Send an invitation for your child to join the Family Center.
• Ask your teen to go to their friends list, navigate to your name, click view invitation, and accept.
• Your child needs to accept the invitation within 24 hours. After that, it expires.
• Now you can see and manage their account.
• From your Family Center page, you can: disable MyAi, turn on the sensitive content toggle, request your child's location, see who they are sharing their location with, and who they are friends with.

Snapchat's Family Center. Credit: Snapchat.

• Content: While Snapchat does have a sensitive content toggle, it is a broad filter and it doesn't catch everything. There is no way to block specific content, keywords, etc., for your teen. Snapchat does not alert parents to inappropriate content in messages or in the content channels.
• Communication: The Snapchat Family Center does not reveal the content of messages, allow parents to block or manage contact lists, or disable the chat feature. It also doesn't show any message time stamps, and it doesn't show communication history outside the seven-day window.
• Time: Notifications and time limits are managed through your child's device settings. Snapchat does not offer any mechanisms for managing notifications or time limits in its Family Center or on a teen's account. There are no settings available to parents to manage or disable streaks.
• Location: Kids can manage their own location-sharing settings, but parents cannot. They can only request their child's location and see who they are sharing their location with.

This article was created in collaboration with Sarah Gallagher Trombley, founder of Digital Mom Media. This education platform teaches parents how to navigate technology safely with and for their children through workshops, courses, and personal coaching.