Technology

SNAP Enhances Parental Supervision with New Features in Family Center Tool

Published January 13, 2024

Social media platform Snapchat, operated by Snap Inc. SNAP, is rolling out significant updates to its Family Center feature, aimed at empowering parents with greater oversight and management options for their teenagers' accounts. In a move that responds to growing concerns about online safety for younger users, Snapchat's Parental Supervision tools receive a substantial overhaul. These updates are designed to provide families with the means to foster digital wellness and ensure a safer social networking environment for minors.

Enhanced Parental Controls

The newly introduced capabilities allow parents to have a more comprehensive insight into their teens' activities without compromising the teens' autonomy and privacy. Parents will be able to see whom their children are friends with on the app, which accounts they have been messaging, and set restrictions as needed. This update seeks to strike a balance between keeping an open line of communication about online habits and preserving a teen's sense of independence.

Peer Companies in the Social Media Space

While Snap Inc. SNAP continues to innovate its platform with user safety in mind, it operates in a competitive landscape dominated by tech giants who also have vested interests in social networking. Microsoft Corporation MSFT, a major player in the tech industry, is known for a wide array of products including social collaboration tools within its Office suite. Alphabet Inc. GOOG, as the parent company of Google, has its own stake in the social space, although it has historically had mixed success in this area. Meanwhile, Meta Platforms, Inc. META has been a dominant force in social media with its portfolio of platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, which also continually evolve in response to user safety and digital wellbeing.

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