From what I can see, Snapchat hasn’t learned from its past mistakes. Users who felt an invasion of privacy from its long gone ‘Best Friends’ feature aren’t going to be happy about its newest update: Snap Map.
Snap Map, in theory, is a great idea. It allows users in a similar location to contribute to a community story for a place or event (think: Wrigley Field or a street festival). The problem and the creepiness come in when the app allows users to pinpoint the exact locations of their friends – whether they’re utilizing ‘Our Story’ or not.
So, how creepy are we talking here? Snapchat will now let your friends know…
When you’re in a car
When you’re sleeping
When you’re with other friends
What a great way to create drama, Snapchat! When stalkers everywhere are rejoicing, they should know that they are raising major red flags.
Snap Map Safety Concerns
On a very, very serious note, however, this raises real safety concerns. Children or teens who may not fully understand the implications of this feature are particularly vulnerable. Adults involved in dangerous situations (i.e. domestic abuse, gang violence) are also extremely susceptible to the negative effects of the map as well.
Even though users can opt to be in ‘Ghost Mode,’ a setting that enables only the user themself to see their location, it still feels as though a line has been crossed between what users are and are not comfortable with. This massive change in how the app works has led me personally to reconsider my usage of the app. In fact, it’s even pushed me to consider using Instagram Stories exclusively; this is definitely the opposite effect it was hoping to have.
So, we want to know: what are your thoughts on this new technology?
