SNAPSAVVY

A parent’s guideto online safety

By Snapchat UK in partnership with Childnet, the online safety charity

A MESSAGE
FROM

BRIDGET LEA
VP & UK GENERALMANAGER, SNAP INC.

We all live a significant part of our lives
online, young people especially, so being
digitally savvy is now a life skill that we allneed. This means that as parents, we needto feel confident to be able to discuss not
only the benefits of being online, but also
the risks, so that our teens feel equipped tonavigate the digital world safely
and responsibly.
We know that online safety is somethingthat parents are increasingly aware of andwant to know more about. Initial insightsfrom Snapchat’s 2024 Digital Well-Being
Index, which surveys teens, young adults
and parents about how they are faring
online, shows that 44% of UK parents checkin regularly with their children about their
online activities, an increase of 8
percentage points compared to last year.
However, the research also tells us thatteens are less likely to tell their parents
about more serious online risks, and 1 in 5(21%) UK parents don’t know how tomonitor their teens’ online activities.
Therefore, we need to work even harder toboth help parents better understand theonline world and support them in having
meaningful conversations about online
safety with their teens.

Snapchat is and has always been designed
to be different to traditional social media,
created to enhance relationships with real
friends and family. There’s no unvetted feedof content and there are no public likes,
removing social pressures to be perfect. Asa platform that is popular with young
people, we feel a great responsibility tohelp make Snapchat safe for all membersof our community.
It’s why we have partnered with Childnet,
the UK online safety charity, to create a
guide filled with helpful advice and tips to
support parents. These include guidanceon navigating positive online safetyconversations with teens, gaining a deeper
understanding of how teens use Snapchat,and raising awareness of the tools and extra
protections we have for teens, as well as
the safety features available to parents.
We’re proud that Snapchat is ranked thehappiest platform when compared to otherapps, and we’re committed to continuing tocollaborate with parents, carers, andSnapchatters to help people have positive
experiences online.

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A MESSAGE
FROM

WILL GARDNER OBE
CEO AT CHILDNETAt Childnet, we work with children and young
people every day, talking about their lives
online and how to stay safe, look after
themselves and others, and, crucially, what to
do if they are unsure or worried aboutsomething or someone online.
Whether they go online to talk to their friends,
to research and find out more, or even to
inspire change, the internet can be a brilliant
place for young people. However, young
people also tell us about the things they see
and experience online which aren’t
age-appropriate, may be harmful, and thatworry them.
Our Safer Internet Day 2023 research foundthat at least 80% of 8-to-17-year-olds would
be most likely to talk to a parent, carer or
guardian if they experienced situations onlinethat made them feel worried, bullied
or uncomfortable.
We know that starting these conversations
can have a real impact on young people. As aresult of Safer Internet Day 2024, which
stimulated a national conversation aboutstaying safe online, we saw almost a third ofchildren speaking to their parent or carerabout something or someone that had beenworrying them online.

Talking with young people about what theydo, see and experience online is a key part of
supporting their safety, reminding them they
can talk to you if, for example, someone orsomething online is making them feel
uncomfortable. There are also tools which
can help support child safety, such as theparental controls, available on many of theapps and devices your children are using.
The online world is constantly evolving andchanging and, with young people at theforefront of this change, it can feel daunting
for parents and carers to keep up. Althoughas parents we can’t always be experts on the
online world, we can still play a key role insupporting children online. By keeping
conversations with your teenagers open andnon-judgemental, and allowing them space
to teach you about the apps and trends they
are seeing online, you have already put
yourself in the best position to help themmake the most of their time online.
This guide is designed to support parents
and carers with these importantconversations about online safety, withspecific guidance from Snapchat about thesafety settings available on the app that havebeen created to help teenagers have a safer
experience on the service.

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NAVIGATING TEENS’LIVES ONLINE
Having open and honest conversations with your teenage children canbe difficult, and we know with topics such as online safety, it can beeasy to feel out of your depth. We all want young people to get themost out of being online, and as their parent or carer you are in theperfect position to support them whilst also making sure they are awareof possible risks.

Snapchat has released initial UK insights from its annual Digital Well-being Index whichsurveys teens, young adults and parents to understand their experiences online and how
they are navigating online safety. The study, conducted in June 2024, covered respondents’experiences on all apps, platforms and services – not just Snapchat.
It’s reassuring to know that 44% of parents say that they regularly check in with theirteen about how they spend their time online, an increase of 8 percentage points
compared to last year. That said, the research also told us that teens were less likely to telltheir parents about more serious online risks.
These results show that it has never been more important for parents and carers tounderstand how their teens are using the internet, and feel confident to have open andpositive conversations about online safety. If we can get teens and parents talking, we
think it can make a real difference.

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44%
62%

21%

of parents now
regularly check in with
their teens about their
online activity.

of those aged between
13 and 17 say they had
sought help after
encountering an online risk,
highlighting teenagers
themselves are also
becoming more aware
about online safety.
But teens are less likely toreport serious issues.

of parents admitted they
were unsure how toeffectively monitor theirchildren’s online activities.

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TOP TIPS FOR TALKINGTO YOUR TEEN ABOUT
ONLINE SAFETY
1

TAKE AN INTEREST IN YOUR TEEN’S DIGITAL LIFE
AND LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE THEIR BACKRegularly check in with your teen about their online activity and what apps they
are using. Having a conversation with your teen at a place or time you both feelmost comfortable will help you both open up, whether that’s in the car orwalking around the shops. Let them know that you’re there for them and they
won’t get into trouble if they have any concerns, questions or want to talk aboutsomething they have seen or experienced online. If your teen is about to havetheir first independent experiences online, ensure you set appropriate
boundaries from the outset, and make a habit of checking in regularly.

2 FIND OUT HOW YOUR TEEN’SFAVOURITE APPS WORKAsk your teen if they can show you how to use their favourite apps so you canfamiliarise yourself with how they work and which features your teen uses most.
Talking about the positives of being online and remaining open-minded might
help prevent your teen from becoming defensive or secretive.

3 EDUCATE ABOUT PRIVACY SETTINGS
Talk to your teen about the importance of protecting their personal information,
particularly their devices and passwords. Help them understand the risks andpotential consequences of sharing sensitive details online (such as their full
name, address, school, or other contact information), and the need to set andmaintain strong privacy settings.

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4 AGREE ON BOUNDARIES AS A FAMILY
No one likes being told what to do, but agreeing
guidelines for behaviour online, social media usage
and screen time is important. Asking your teen what
they feel is appropriate and coming to acompromise, will help them feel part of thedecision-making process and help to ensure you are
striking a healthy balance when it comes totechnology use. You can also decide a timeframe fora review of these boundaries, so your teen knowsthat these can evolve as they get older.

5 USE PARENTAL CONTROLSBUT RESPECT THEIR PRIVACY
Parental controls are important safety features available on most social media
apps and devices that allow parents or carers to supervise their child’s activity
online. It’s important to be open with your teen about using these features.
Talk to them about why parental controls are important and reassure them thatyou still want to respect their privacy.
Snapchat’s Family Centre allows you to see who your teen is friends with andwho they’ve recently been communicating with, without revealing the content of
their conversations. You can also find further support on Childnet’s Parents andCarers resource sheet.

6 HELP YOUR TEEN BECOME

AWARE OF MISINFORMATION
Talk to your teen about recognising
misinformation, scams and clickbait, and theimportance of verifying information withcredible sources. Encourage them toquestion content that seems too good to betrue or overly sensationalised.

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HELPFULCONVERSATIONSTARTERS
Starting the conversation about online safety with your teen can be the hardest part, so in partnershipwith Childnet, we have suggested some questions you can use as conversation starters to help you
communicate with your teen about these issues with confidence.

BE POSITIVE
What apps or websites are popularwith your mates right now?

How do you find videos/profiles/games
you like online?

INVOLVE THE FAMILY
Has anyone heard of the new app..., do you
know what it is?
Are there any updates/new features to yourfavourite apps? Can you show me how they work?

What would you do if…? (e.g. you watched aworrying video, you were sent a mean message)

Are there any new phrases, slang, emojis orfeatures that you or your friends are using?

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LET THEM TAKE THE LEAD
What have you heard about…online? (e.g.
sharing photos, bullying)
Have you ever come across something onlinethat made you feel uncomfortable?

What did you do about it?

TRY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO DIFFICULTCONVERSATIONS
I’d like to talk about… with you, is thissomething you’ve heard about before?
Are there any questions you wantto ask me about…?

UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AT HAND
I can see that something is on
your mind, can I help?

Can we talk about…?

Remember, I’m always here to help no matter
how big the problem might feel.

09

SNAPCHAT 101
Snapchat is primarily a private, visualmessaging service designed for people aged 13
and above. It’s very popular with young people
who use it to chat with their friends and family,
similar to the ways they interact in real life.
People also use it to watch content from theirfavourite creators and express themselvesusing Snapchat’s fun and interactive
Augmented Reality lenses.

At Snapchat, our goal is to provide a safe andpositive experience, and we purposely designed
Snapchat to be different to traditional social
media. Its core features are designed to reflect
the fun and spontaneity of in-person
conversations. Snapchat doesn’t open to a public
news feed powered by an algorithm, and instead
opens to a camera to encourage creativity.
Some of the key features include:

CAMERA

MAP

Like a typical camera on yourphone, Snapchat’s camera is aneasy and visual way to sharewhat’s on your mind with thepeople that matter most to you.
Our AR (augmented reality)
lenses allow you to add fun or
educational layers onto yourphotos or videos, overlaying text,
stickers and more on the world.

The map is a fun, interactive way toshare your favourite places and tosee what your friends are up to, but
only if they choose to share theirlocation with you. It can also be
used as a safety feature, forexample, if Snapchatters arewalking home late at night.
Location-sharing on Snap Map isturned off by default for all users and users additionally have toenable location sharing with
Snapchat on their device.

CHAT
The chat function is a messaging service that allows you to talk to friends and family withtext and pictures. Before social media, our fun, spontaneous, and silly interactions withfriends only lived in our memories! Snapchat is designed to mirror that dynamic, to help
people feel comfortable expressing themselves without feeling pressure or judgement.
Chat will show when your friend has viewed your message and is typing. It will also notify
you if someone takes a screenshot of your Snap, or saves a Chat message. Chats delete by
default after 24 hours to reflect real-life conversations, but you do have the option to savechats. You can also make voice and video calls and join group conversations.

MY AI
My AI is our friendly AI-powered chatbot. My AI can answer a burning
trivia question, offer advice on the perfect gift for a friend’s birthday,
help plan a hiking trip for a long weekend or suggest what to make fordinner. We’ve developed My AI to abide by our Community Guidelines,
give age-appropriate responses, and have connected it to our Family
Centre where parents now have the option to restrict engagement.

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HOW DOES SNAPCHATWORK TO PROTECT ITSYOUNGER USERS
As a platform popular with teenagers, we feel a tremendous responsibility to help keep our community
safe. We offer extra protections for under 18s to help keep the focus on connecting with close friends,
preventing unwanted contact from strangers, and providing an age-appropriate content experience.
Here are the key things to know about Snapchat safeguards:

FAMILY CENTRE
Our in-app suite of parental tools allow parents and carers to see who their teen is friends with andwho they’ve been recently communicating with, without seeing the content of teens’ messages. We
like to think of it a bit like your teen having their friends round at your house, but you aren’t
eavesdropping on their conversations.
Family Centre also allows parents and carers to easily and confidentially report accounts that may beof concern to them, as well as the ability to restrict My AI and check the age their teen signed up as.

PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNWANTED CONTACT
We intentionally try to make it very difficult for young people to be contacted by strangers. We keep
friends lists private and, by default, don’t allow any users to be messaged by someone they haven’t
added as a friend or don’t have in their phone contacts. If a teen under 18 accepts someone as afriend that they do not share any mutual friends with, we send pop-up warnings to make sure theywant to be in contact, and remind them to only communicate with people they trust. We prevent
delivery of a friend request altogether when it comes from someone we detect is a bad actor,
resulting in the removal of that account. Snapchatters can also easily block, report, and remove
people from their friends list if they no longer wish to be in touch with them.

STRONG DEFAULT SETTINGS
By default, we apply safety and privacy settings for teens to strict standards, turn location-sharing
off, and send all Snapchatters regular reminders to check their privacy settings.

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QUICK AND SIMPLE REPORTING TOOLS
Teens and parents can easily report safety concerns in the app. Even though content deletes bydefault on Snapchat, if we find illegal content proactively or learn of it through a report, we retainthat content for an extended period in case the police want to follow up. We also offer the option tosubmit a report off-app via help.snapchat.com.

ZERO TOLERANCE
If we discover severe offences on Snapchat, we disable the violating accountand work to prevent the user from getting back on Snapchat. This includes
blocking new friend requests from other accounts created on the same device.
We have a clear set of Community Guidelines* which outline what is and isn’t
allowed on Snapchat and help people to use our services safely.

AGE APPROPRIATE CONTENT
To help teens have an age-appropriate experience, we moderate content
and work to proactively find and remove illegal and potentially harmful
content before it can be recommended to a wide audience. This includes
applying additional moderation to our public content platforms.

*Community Guidelines

12HOW TO GET STARTEDON FAMILY CENTRE
SnapchatIn

1
To use Family Centre,

2

parents must have a Snapchat
account. Start by downloading
Snapchat from the Apple App Store or
Google Play Store to yourmobile phone.

Open the app andtap 'Sign Up'

to create an account.
Once you enter all the
relevant information
as prompted, you cancreate yourSnapchat username.

Scan to download3
Ask your teen for
their username,so you can add them as a friend.
Once you have their username,you can search for it using thesearch bar at the Camera
screen's top-left corner.

4
5
There are 2 ways to access
Family Centre on Snapchat:Once yourteen has
accepted
your friend
request,you'll be readyto get started.

1 You can use the search bar.

Search relevant terms such as"safety", "family" or "parent"
and Family Centre will appear.

2 Head to Settings (gear icon),located at the top-right corner ofyour Profile Page (located at the
top left corner across all tabs),
where Family Centre has apermanent home.

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6
Once you open
Family Centre,

you'll need to invite your teen
to join. Your teen will receive
an invitation, and they must
opt in to participate.

7
Teens need totap 'Accept',and you'll both benotified that the statusof the invitation has
been updated.

8
Now, you can use
Family Centre

to see who your teens
are talking to and startenjoying Snapchat asa family!

At Snap, we routinely enhance Family Centre to reflect
feedback from our community, parents, and experts, aswell as support new family-friendly features on Snapchat.
You can find our latest updates to Family Centre on our
dedicated parents site: parents.snapchat.com

Scan for more
tools and resources
for parents

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END NOTEThis guide has been developed using insights andexpertise shared by Snap Inc. including theCommunications, Trust and Safety, Policy and Legalteams. The guide also draws on insights and expertiseprovided by Childnet, the online safety charity.

Resources
Other resources used to develop this guide include:

Snapchat’s
parents
microsite

Snapchat’s Digital Well-being Index 2024
Early UK insights from Snapchat’s Digital Well-being Index whichsurveys teens, young adults and parents across six markets about
how they are faring online. The study, conducted in June 2024,
covered respondents’ experiences on all apps, platforms andservices – not just Snapchat.

Childnet tips fortalking to teenagers
about online safety

Childnet’s
conversation guidefor parents and carers

Childnet advice
for parents
and carers

For further information and support, please see the following resources:
UK Safer Internet Centre
The UK Safer Internet Centre is apartnership of three leading charities;
Childnet, the South West Grid for Learningand the Internet Watch Foundation.
Mind

Call: 0 300 123 3393

Mind provides advice and support toempower anyone experiencing mental
health problems.

Samaritans

Call: 116 123

Samaritans is a charity organisation that seeks tolisten and help people talk through their concerns
and worries.

PAPYRUS
Prevention ofYoung Suicide
HOPELineUK

Call: 0 800 068 41 41
PAPYRUS is a confidential support
and advice service for children andyoung people.
SMS: 07860039967

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