Ultimate guide to Snapchat monitoring for parents: Why & How

There are many social media platforms to stay connected, but Snapchat has its own HYPE! Its unique features and disappearing messages make it pretty different from other social media platforms and have become popular among young users, including kids and teens. Snapchat is simply a fun and casual way to connect with friends and close ones, but it also comes with potential risks, especially for minors. Therefore, Snapchat monitoring is imperative for parents and guardians.

Parents can keep an eye on their ward’s Snapchat activity through Snapchat Family Center and a trusted parental control app. In this blog post, we will discuss why it’s essential & how to protect your kids with its built-in safety features and vital parental monitoring apps. Not only that, but you will also learn how to talk about the safe usage of Snapchat with your teen.

Why are kids obsessed with snapchat?

According to Snapchat usage statistics, more than 100 million people currently use it daily. According to Social Shepherd, 48% of Snapchat users are between the ages of 15 and 25. Plus, Statista revealed that 3 percent of teenagers spend up to 45 minutes per day on Snapchat. These stats clearly signify the high usage of Snapchat among teens. So, parents need to stay informed about their ward’s activity on it.

Before proceeding, let us examine why Snapchat has become a buzzword among kids.

Unique features that keep kids hooked

Here are the unique features of this platform that attract teens.

• On Snapchat, you can share fun stories with all connections or send them to specific friends.

• Apart from this, it offers a unique feature called Streaks that encourages users to keep sharing with their friends and stay connected each day.

• The next amazing feature is disappearing messages. Whether you update a story or send a message to your friend, everything remains for a maximum of 24 hours and then automatically disappears. One can also set the view and disappear feature. This gives teens a sense of more privacy and sharing without any fear.

• Snapchat is loaded with a plethora of cool filters and editing features. User can make their pictures or videos quite attractive before sharing them. Kids find these filters very interesting and love to experiment with them.

• This platform offers an animated avatar to each user. The avatar is a bit similar to the actual appearance. This feature attracts teens and makes the conversation more fun.

The list does not end here! Snapchat updates its features from time to time. It always comes with interactive and enticing things, which helps to keep its hype among the young generation.

Peer Pressure and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

Snapchat is not just another message-sharing platform; it is like a social community for teens. Some children may be afraid of being left out or ignored. This pressure often increases their screen time, and therefore, Snapchat monitoring for parents is becoming important.

Dangers of Snapchat for kids parents should know

Now, it is time to reveal the concerns related to Snapchat.

Cyberbullying

The first in a row is Cyberbullying. Anyone with the wrong intentions can hurt your ward on Snapchat. This could be through sharing embarrassing pictures, videos, or text. Sometimes, peers also exit their buddy from a Snapchat group. The worst part is that parents are not able to detect it is happening because messages disappear,

Online predators

Anyone on Snapchat can send and accept requests via the Quick Add feature. This gives predators to trap innocent kids. They can connect to your wards and may ask for personal information like name, school, home address, and much more. These people then blackmail children or may harm them in some other way. 

Sexting

Another major concern about using Snapchat is sexting. Many teenagers think that messages disappear, and therefore, they share nude pics or adult texts. But this is not so. Users can take screenshots of the picture or chat, which puts privacy at risk.

Harmful trends and challenges

Social media platforms like Snapchat sometimes wash bain of kids and encourage them to engage in risky challenges. For instance, the blackout challenge. In this, kids have to hold their breaths as long as they can to make the record. This sometimes leads to dangerous health issues and even death.

Another trending challenge is the Devious Lick challenge. In this one, they have to damage school or college property. For instance, desk, door lock, etc. While doing this,  many students get trapped in serious issues, and they may also get expelled by the institution’s administrator. 

Exposure to inappropriate content

While using Snapchat, users also get access to inappropriate content. This is especially true in the “Discover” section, where there are a lot of viral public videos. These can have a bad impact on a child’s mind and distract them from studies and actual social life. 

Because of the above-mentioned issues, Snapchat monitoring for parents has become pivotal.

Is there any parental control on Snapchat?

Yes, of course. You will find a feature called “Snapchat Family Center” to look after what your child is doing on this platform. And the great thing is that this is completely legal. But the question is how to set this.

How to set up Snapchat Family Center?

You need to follow these simple steps to use Snapchat’s inbuilt Family Center:

1. Open your Snapchat account on your phone, tablet, or any other device and go to the search bar.
2. Type “Safety” or “Family Center,”  and the Family Center icon will appear.

3. Another way to open Family Center is by tapping on the settings on your profile. 
4. Then simply tap on Family Center and choose the option “Add Teen.”
5. Invite your child’s Snapchat account on your friend list. An invitation will then be sent to them.
6. Ask your child to accept the invitation, and that’s all.

What can parents see in the Family Center?

Now, what can you actually supervise via Family Center? Well, you can see with whom your teen is chatting, but you will not have access to content. In addition to this, you can access their full friend list. Also, you can check the frequency of your child’s interactions with a specific connection.

Unfortunately, this option does not let you see text and photos, which is why other effective parental monitoring tools are required. 

Best parental control apps to monitor kids’ Snapchat on Android & iOS

Many apps are available to check your teen activity more deeply on Snapchat. Let us explore the best options:

FlashGet Kids (Recommended)

FlashGet Kids hit the list. It is the most reliable parenteral control app, developed by a team of parents. This efficient tool allows you to check your ward’s messages, pictures, and even location. Moreover, you can also set a limit to screen time so that they can indulge in social and physical activities. Also, you will receive a comprehensive report on device usage, like how long they use Snapchat daily, which will help you take major steps if required.

This application can run on both Android and iOS devices. It supports five devices simultaneously. Also, it is quite affordable but has comprehensive features. FlashGetKids subscription starts at only $4.99 per month only. It makes  Snapchat monitoring for parents hassle-free.

Bark

Next is Bark. It is an AI-powered application that not only helps parents monitor their children’s online activity but also sends alert messages. It is designed to ensure that children use digital platforms like Snapchat responsibly. Bark helps kids from risks like cyberbullying.

The amazing features of Bark include content blocking, screen time limits, and location tracking. This application also supports both Android and iOS. But it is a bit expensive. You need to spend $14/month or $99/year to unlock different features. That is why Bark is not recommended for users with low budgets. 

Norton Family

A well-known cybersecurity company, Norton, has developed Norton Family for parents. It is loaded with a plethora of great features like content filtering, device monitoring, and screen time.  It also sends weekly or monthly online activity reports to parents. Norton Family offers a School Time mode that bans the usage of phones during school hours so that children can focus on their studies.

Like the above two apps, it is compatible with Android and iOS. Norton Family also supports Windows, but not all its features are available for the basic subscription. Furthermore, you have to subscribe to it for the full year. There is no monthly subscription model available. 

Qustodio

Qustodio is also quite useful when it comes to social media monitoring (including Snapchat) for parents. It is also equipped with all essential features like activity monitoring, website filtering, and GPS tracking. An emergency SOS button is also available. 

It is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. You can run this app on 5, 10 or 15 devices. It is moderately expensive, i.e., $54.95/year.

After comparing all the above apps, it is clear that FlashGet Kids is the best option if you are seeking affordability and amazing features.

How to talk to your kids about Snapchat safety?

So, once you have decided to invest in a parental control app, the next step is to communicate with your child about this. Do not simply impose your decision on them. Stay calm and non-judgemental while communicating. Tell your ward why doing so is important for their safety and well-being. Apart from this, they should be made aware of the risks associated with using Snapchat. Also, give assurance to your child that you are there to help in case they face any kind of problem while using social media.  

Final words

In this tech-savvy world, it is hard to completely stop teens from using Snapchat or any other popular social media platform. But, yes, parents can help and guide them to a positive social media experience, Snapchat monitoring has become essential. You can pair Snapchat Family Center and well-known tools like FlashGet Kids to keep transparency. Remember, come on the same page and only then use such apps. Ensure a combination of tools, communication, and education to safeguard your kids and enclose family bonds.

Remember, your goal should not be to interfere in your ward’s social life but to protect them from online threats.