Everything a Parent Needs to Know About SNAPCHAT

“How to monitor Snapchat? I don’t know if Snapchat for kids is safe. My kids use the app all the time, and I wish to stop them from getting addicted to it.”

If you are a concerned parent with a query like this, then you have come to the right place. Being one of the most popular social apps of the present time, Snapchat is used by millions of kids the world over. Sadly, it is also a place for predators that can influence your kids the wrong way. Due to its working model, it becomes quite tough for parents to monitor the app activity. Thankfully, Snapchat monitoring for parents can be performed by using the right tools.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a widely known multimedia messaging app available for iOS and Android devices. It was firstly released in 2011, and in a matter of a few years, it gained extensive popularity. As of now, it has more than 180 million daily active users. The app is available in different languages and supports texting, multimedia sharing, video chat, and other features.

• More than 10 billion videos are played on Snapchat in a day.
• It is the most popular social app among teenagers and young adults in North America, Europe, and a few Asian countries.
• Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, India, and Saudi Arabia has the most number of active users.
• On average, a user spends more than 280 minutes in a month on Snapchat.

How Does It Work?

If you want to learn how to monitor Snapchat, then you first need to understand how the app works. Since Snapchat is quite different than other platforms like Facebook or WhatsApp, it has gained so much popularity. The app is based on the sharing of “snaps”, which can be pictures or short videos. Users simply share snaps with each other. Though, these snaps are self-destructive and can only last for 24 hours.

This is why Snapchat for kids have gained so much popularity. They can simply send pictures (or text messages) to each other without any proof. Due to this, the app is used to exchange inappropriate pictures as well. The following are some other features of the app.

• Users can post stories on their profile, which is visible to their followers. A story also lasts for 24 hours.
• Also, Snapchat supports video chat. Users can simply make a video call and add different filters in between.
• There are all sorts of filters on Snapchat (including AI and geo-filters) that users can apply on their snaps.
• Snapchat also supports text messaging and the exchange of short video messages as well.
• The snaps sent by the users to their friends can only be replayed once.
• If someone will take a screenshot of the snap, then the sender would be notified.
• Also, users can know the real-time location of their friends as well (optional feature).
• The “Discover” tab features trending content in a short video-format that users can play.

What Do Teens Say About Snapchat?

Since Snapchat for kids and teenagers is quite popular, let’s see what they have to say about the app.

“The design is a bit confusing, but it is great for sharing secret messages and pictures.” - Kate

“Snapchat offers fun and sneaky way to exchange pictures that you can’t upload on other platforms.” - Tyler

“I’m on Snapchat because all my friends use it. The app is good. I can share secrets with my friends without letting my parents know.” - Dan

“Snapchat photos are automatically deleted, unlike Facebook or Instagram. I can post any picture to my friends without any trace of it on my phone.” - Olivia

“Snapchat is like my secret place where all my private videos and photos are. I love using Snapchat for hours!” - Izzie

“I don’t like it a lot. Some bullies have sent bad things to me on Snapchat, but since I was not able to save it, there is no proof of it now.” - Ryan

Can Snapchat Harm a Child’s Online Reputation?

Yes – if not used wisely, Snapchat can cause permanent damage to a child’s reputation. This is why Snapchat monitoring for parents is so important. Here are some ways the app can hurt your children.

• It has been reported that 25% of Snapchat users send explicit photos, which can harm anyone’s reputation if these photos get leaked.
• People think that Snapchat pictures can’t be saved. Sadly, that is not true. Users can always take a screenshot or use third-party apps to save them.
• Snapchat has been hacked in the past, and it might happen again. There are dedicated websites for hacked Snapchat photos already.
• Bullies are quite active on Snapchat too. This is because they can say anything they want and get away with it due to a lack of proof.
• The app is extremely addictive. Your kids might end up spending hours on Snapchat instead of sleeping or studying.

What Parents Need To Know About Snapchat?

Before you learn how to monitor Snapchat, simply take a step back and understand these key takeaways.

• Snapchat for kids can be an addiction. Therefore, you have to be extremely patient when dealing with it.
• Educate your kids about Snapchat and let them know that their temporary snaps can be saved. Teach them that their private photos should not be shared with others just like that.
• It becomes quite easy for predators to be friends with kids on Snapchat. The platform is extensively used by pedophiles. Therefore, make sure that your kids don’t befriend strangers on Snapchat.
• Make sure that your children are at least 16 years old before using a platform like Snapchat.
• Almost 70% of brands on Snapchat are related to beauty. This can have a negative effect on the mental development of your kids and make them inclined towards vanity.
• Most importantly, use a dedicated tool that can help you with Snapchat monitoring for parents.

How Snapchat monitoring for parents could help?

How Snapchat monitoring for parents could help?

Now when you know how harmful Snapchat for kids can be, you should take some extra measures to keep your kids safe. FamiSafe is one of the best parental control and monitoring software out there. After installing the tracking app on the target device, you can easily obtain its vital details. The parental control app can be used to set time-based restrictions on the device. It comes with numerous benefits. Here’s how some of them can help you:

Monitor Snapchat

Block app usage during study or sleep time. Monitor how your kids use their phones, what apps are mostly used, what apps are installed and uninstalled, how the social media apps are used, etc.

Block Snapchat

If you think your child should not be using the app, then you can also block it on their device as well. Simply go to its dashboard to block or unblock Snapchat remotely.

Screen Time

Since Snapchat can be addictive, it is important to perform Snapchat monitoring for parents. FamiSafe can help you set strict time-based restrictions on device usage, including Snapchat.

Other features

Besides learning how to monitor Snapchat, FamiSafe can be used in numerous ways. It can track the real-time location of a device and provide instant geo-fencing alerts as well. You can block any website on their phone and even view their browsing history.