Snapchat rolls out in-app tool for parents of teenagers

Snap Inc, parent company of messaging app Snapchat, has launched a new in-app tool in India that provides parents insight into who their teens are friends with and talking to on Snapchat.

The company said parents of children in the age group of 13-18 would be able to see this without knowing the substance of those conversations. To avail this, the parents have to be friends with their children on the app and have an active account. They would be required to invite their teens to join the ‘Family Centre’.

Parents can also confidentially report any suspicious accounts directly on Family Centre, the company said.


“Snapchat is a central communications tool for young people in India and across the world, and as our community continues to grow, we know parents and caregivers want additional ways to help keep their teens safe. Creating a safe and positive experience for them is critical to this mission,” Uthara Ganesh, public policy head, India, at Snap Inc said in a statement.

“That’s why we’re introducing a new in-app tool called Family Center, which will help parents get more insight into who their teens are friends with on Snapchat, and who they have been communicating with, without revealing any of the substance of those conversations.”

Over the coming months, Ganesh said the company plans on adding additional features to Family Center, including new content controls for parents and the ability for teens to notify their parents when they report an account or a piece of content to the company.

In India, Snapchat is primarily used by Gen Zs (those born from 1996 to 2012) in non-metro cities.