A Guide to Snapchat's Snap Map for Parents Who Are Freaking Out

The feature, according to Snapchat, helps people get inspired to go on an adventure.

Moms and dads are freaked.

Snap Map has been dubbed thestalk-your friends feature,and schools and police areissuing warningsabout the potential dangers.

Can people automatically see where you areright now, without you knowingif youre using Snapchat?

Location sharing is optional and turned off by default.

That could be nobody (ghost mode).

Snaps shared on the publicOur Storycan show up on the map as well.

options can be changed at any time.

Friends with whom youre sharing your location can see the snaps youve posted in that particular spot.

Do I think this feature is super devastating and scary?

I think its more of a public version ofFind My Friendson an Apple rig, he says.

Do I think its an option for people to follow others and kind of find out where theyre at?

So I would tell kids to never share their home base.

The internet is all about knowing where people are at, he says.

Ochs recommends auditing your child online.

If theyre on Snapchat, sign up for Snapchat and find out what you might see.

(He adds that no child under 13 should be on Snapchat.)

Be a passive viewer, he says.

Dont comment, or probe them.

Let them have their space.

Thats why kids left Facebook and are leaving Instagram.

Its because parents were commenting and liking and saying, Oh Johnny, I love you so much.

See you at dinner tonight.

How do you enable ghost mode?

Open Snapchat and go to the camera function.

Pinch to zoom to bring up the Snap Map.

Tap on the prefs gear in the top right-hand corner

Tick the box that says Enable Ghost Mode.