Major Snapchat Update: Rules Changed for Users Under 16—Here’s How Their Profiles Will Now Stay Safe..

Snapchat's new privacy feature: Concerns regarding the safety of children and teenagers have long existed in the world of social media. Several countries have even banned social media for children under the age of 16. In light of this, Snapchat has released a major privacy-focused update for users aged 13 to 15. Let’s find out what this new feature entails and what specific controls it offers parents.

Snapchat 'Friends-Only' Profile: Snapchat has taken a significant step to further strengthen the online safety of teenage users. The company has introduced a new "Friends-Only Profile" experience for users aged 13 to 15, ensuring that their Stories and Spotlight videos are visible only to people they have personally accepted as friends. This feature has been rolled out globally.

Content is now limited to friends only.
With this new update, users aged 13 to 15 can create, save, and display their Stories and Spotlight videos on their profiles. However, their content will be visible only to friends who have mutually added each other.

Previously, users in this age group could upload videos to Spotlight, but the content was not linked to their profiles. Now, they will have a profile, but their posts will not extend beyond their circle of friends.

Why was this change introduced?
Snapchat states that this feature will allow young people to showcase their creativity and self-expression in a safe environment.
The company aims to encourage younger users to share content with their real-life friends rather than seeking public exposure on social media.
Consequently, under the new system, content will be visible only to friends, rather than to followers or the entire Snapchat community.

Public likes and engagement metrics will not be visible
Under the new system, users under the age of 16 will not see public engagement metrics related to their content. This means that favorite counts and other public metrics will not be visible on their profiles.
The aim is to reduce the pressure for social validation and provide a better digital experience.

**Age-specific rules**
As part of its age-appropriate design, Snapchat has established different levels of content sharing based on user age.
**13 to 15 years:** Users in this age group will benefit from a "friends-only" sharing feature, ensuring no outsiders can intrude.
**16 to 17 years:** Users in this age group will have access to an optional public sharing feature, but it will be subject to strict safeguards, including enhanced security, limited distribution, and parental visibility tools.

**18 years and above:** Upon turning 18, users will have full access to public profile features and broad content distribution capabilities.
**Existing safety rules for these users**
Snapchat stated that several safety measures are already in place for users under 18. These include strict default privacy settings, restrictions on contact from strangers, warnings regarding suspicious accounts, and moderated public content experiences.

**How ​​can parents exercise control?**
Snapchat’s "Family Center" feature allows parents to monitor their children's online activities. Through this, parents can view their child's friend list, see details of recent contacts, set content restrictions, disable the "My AI" chatbot, manage location sharing, and report suspicious accounts.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.