Snapchat private story is one of the features that enable users to share stories with only selected close friends. This functionality has received attention from users who want to remain social but, at the same time, be a little more privacy-oriented. In this article, we shall attempt to demystify the use of private Snapchat stories and how to make the most out of them.
What is the private story on Snapchat?
The private story feature on Snapchat allows people to share intimate stories of their lives with select friends and serves the following purposes.
- Allows users to share things that they don’t want to share on public social platforms.
- Share content which would be of interest to a limited number of audience.
- A way to spend more time with certain friends in non-formal settings.
- A less embarrassing platform to freely speak in front of specific online friends.
All private stories offer more privacy since users can adjust who can see them by limiting visibility to only the friends list and feel more confident sharing personal stories, feelings, or creations with the selected people.
Differences between a shared story and a private story
The only major distinguishing factor between a shared Snapchat story and a private snap is the audience.
A shared story is visible to all the individuals within your Snapchat friends list. This is the default mode of sharing Snaps whenever you are creating one.
A private story, on the other hand, can be viewed only by the friends who you have included in that particular story. Those are less public and can be shared with people you know and trust most to pass the information.
How does Snapchat private story work?
Private stories are just for you! Only you can add snaps to your private story, and only you decide which friends can view it.
Generate your private story via the “create story” option. After creating it, you can add Snaps just like a usual story and share them with your selected viewers. Only the few friends you had chosen will see the private story. They can access the thumbnails, review each snap, and even engage with the snaps.
How long does a private story stay on Snapchat?
Similar to normal Snapchat stories, private stories are only available for 24 hours. After this time, the Snaps will expire just as it happens to a public story.
If you do not want to lose some of the content that was posted in your private story. Then, there is an individual save option for each of the Snaps. This ensures that when the story is over, you can always go back and refresh those moments.
How to make a private story on Snapchat?
Creating a private story that gives you better control over who sees your post is very easy. Here’s how to get started.
- Launch the Snapchat application and go to your profile.
- Tap ‘+ New Private Story’ if you’re creating one for the first time, or tap “+ New Story” if you already have a private story.
- Then, choose the friends you prefer to see this private story.
- Press “Create Story” to save your settings for the private story. And you can name it whatever you want.
Now, you can start adding Snaps to the newly created private story! This means that only your friends list will be able to see what you post to your timeline.
How to rename a Snapchat private story?
If you ever wish to rename an existing private story, just follow the steps below.
- Tap on your avatar to open your profile.
- Choose the private story that you would like to rename.
- Tap the 3 dots icon that will bring a pop-up with options, then choose “Rename Story.”
- Change the name by replacing it with your preferred name in the Edit Box provided.
When you are done, simply press any other part of the screen apart from the name field. Some fun private story name ideas include; Secret Squad, Inner Circle, The Clique, and even something imaginative like The Chosen Few.
How to delete a private story on Snapchat?
If you no longer want a specific private story, you can remove it from your Snapchat account without a struggle.
Deleting a specific Snap:
- Go to your profile > Under “My Stories”, tap My Story.
- Long press the specific Snap you want to delete.
- Tap “Delete Snap.” This will take the particular Snap out of the story.
Erasing the whole Private Story:
- Tap on your Bitmoji avatar, and your profile will open. Then, scroll down to the private story you want to delete.
- Tap on the three-dot icon, and a menu will pop up.
- Select “Delete Story”. This will completely remove the story and anything that it contains from the system.
Deleting a private story is applicable to all members involved. That means once you hit the delete button, there is no turning back.
How to leave someone’s Snapchat private story?
If someone has included you in his/her private story and you do not wish to see such updates, then you can exit that private story.
- Open your Snapchat app, go to the Discover page, and click on someone’s private story you want to leave.
- Hold down the story until a pop-up menu appears.
- Then tap “Leave Private Story”. This will take you out of the private story.
Alternatively, you can leave through your friends list. The steps:
- Open your profile > Scroll down to find “My Friends” > Tap it to access your friends list.
- Now, tap the friend’s name whose private story you want to leave.
- A menu will appear. From there, choose “Story Settings” > “Leave Private Story.”
Once you leave, there will be no more Snaps from that private story in your feed again.
How to add a joinable private story link on Snapchat?
Private story feature enables users to share different things with some of their close ones in a more private way. However, how about if you need to invite more people to your private story? You can add a link to your private story for anyone to see.
Here are the steps for adding a private story link on your Snapchat to let anyone join.
- Once you take a Snap, you can see the edit options from the side menu.
- Tap the file icon, and some features will show. Choose the “STORY” feature to create a sticker.
- There will be a choice of “Custom Story”. Enter the sticker name as you wish.
- After editing and putting the sticker on your Snap, send the Snap to your story. Anyone who sees this Snap can click on this sticker to join your private story.
Why do people like using private stories?
The reasons why people use Snapchat private stories include the following.
- Personal sharing. Private stories enable users to share their personal experiences and moments they consider to be important with close friends only.
- Fostering intimacy. Since users share personal content with a small circle of friends, people are able to build stronger connections and gain intimacy.
- Exclusive content. The users can post jokes, behind-the-scenes, or teasers for an upcoming event to be seen only by the selected friends.
- Group chats. Private stories can be employed to start a group conversation with friends. It shares photos, videos, and messages in a more lively manner than messaging.
- Privacy. Private stories give total privacy to users as they allow them to choose who has access to view their stories.
Private Snapchat stories provide a great way to interact with friends. But then, it should be noted that they might not be that private. Once a snap is shared, it cannot be retrieved by the user, or they cannot control who sees it.
How can you ensure your kids’ Snapchat is private and safe?
Any parent who wants the best for their child needs to find time and discover what the child is doing on social sites like Snapchat. Here are some tips which can be readily followed in order to protect them.
Learn and adjust the privacy settings on Snapchat
- Friend list – Explain to your children that they should be rather picky as to whom they become friends with on the site.
- Story settings – Distinguish between public and private narratives or personal narratives and hazards of disclosure to the public.
- Restrict location sharing on Snap Map – Explain what could happen if others know their location and urge them to take some steps concerning privacy.
Open and honest communication
- Regular check-ins: Know the activities they conduct online and the time they spend on social media.
- Set boundaries: Be specific about how much time children should spend online and where mobile devices are allowed. Clarify what kind of behavior is undesirable: Don’t accept friend requests from strangers, and don’t share private information online.
- Educate about online safety: Explain why it is risky to talk to strangers, especially on anonymous social media platforms, and how to react when facing cyberbullying, inappropriate content, scams, etc.
Utilize parental control apps
A very effective way to track your child’s sharing and chats on Snapchat is with parental control apps like FlashGet Kids. This app provides the following features to help you protect your child:
- Screen mirroring: You can keep an eye on your child’s phone screen to see what he or she is up to.
- App blocker: Allows you to disable specific apps like Snapchat for some time or somewhere.
- Notification tracker: Sync notifications from your kid’s phone for a better understanding of your kid’s digital interactions.
- Screen time limits: Set a limited time for device usage to discourage excess online and addiction.
A Snapchat tracker such as FlashGet Kids can give you the comfort of letting your child use Snapchat responsibly.
Final thoughts
Since social media is greatly inculcated into society, the protection of personal communication is very crucial. With the help of private stories, users can exercise more genuine communication with people they know and trust. Nevertheless, it is important to address the manner in which kids are using social media properly. Consider using tools like FlashGate Kids to help monitor them.
FAQs
Does Snapchat notify the person when you leave a private story?
No, Snapchat does not give a notification to the users when the person they have invited leaves the private story.
Can I change who sees my private story after I create it?
Yes, once the private story has been created, you can modify privacy settings to decide who can view the story. Just go to the story settings, choose the friends you wish to be included or excluded from your private story, and adjust it to your liking.
What happens if I delete a private story?
When you delete your private story on Snapchat, it will be permanently deleted from your account. All content within that story will be deleted, and friends with whom the user has shared snaps will not see any of the snaps within the particular private story again.
