When Snapchat came up with the new update that allows certain users to track down your exact location – a lot of concern about children’s safety were raised.
A lot of parents are concerned about this location-sharing feature, as one can share his/her location with all his/her friends, a few friends they select, or can disappear from the map at any time by going into “Ghost Mode”. This feature has raised deep concerns about the privacy implications of such a feature.
Although Snapchat clarified that said that location sharing is off by default in “ghost mode” and that it is impossible to share your location with someone who is not your friend.
Which is why, experts advise users to only share their location with people they know in person, and never with strangers.
How to turn Snap Maps feature off in your phone –
- It doesn’t take effect until you update the app, and it has an opt-out option.
- If you’re opening the app for the first time after the update, Snapchat will walk you through a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the Snap Map.
- First, it’ll show you how to pinch and zoom in the camera tool to access the map.
- Then, it’ll ask who you want to see your location.
- You get three choices: all your friends, select friends, or only me. Choosing ‘only me’ activates what it calls ‘ghost mode’ meaning you can see others but they can’t see you.
- To turn off location data altogether, you’ll need to visit your phone’s settings where you can scroll down to Snapchat, click on ‘location’, and choose to never share.
