Snapchat has been busy with updates lately. The latest numbers show their user numbers barely rising when compared to Social Media giants like Facebook and Instagram. Some of these features are just to lure more users and some are to increase revenue. Either way, you should know what they’ve added.
Sky and AR Filters
Snap Inc. is working very hard to highlight the creative possibilities with their Snapchat camera. The sky filter allows you to change what the sky looks like. This feature shows off the ability for the Snapchat camera to detect what’s being photographed and then apply effects. You can turn a clear sky cloudy, a day sky to night, or just add a rainbow. Augmented reality filters were updated last week and you can now place your bitmoji (an animated character that you make look like you) onto different spaces in your photo or video and record different animations.
iOS Update Allows Capturing of Your “Private” Snaps
iOS 11 was released last week and it includes the ability to record your screen by simply tapping a button in your control panel. This has been cause for concern for Snapchat users. Especially for those who use Snapchat for very private or personal conversations. As of the publishing of this article, Snapchat currently has no way to alert you that what you’re sending or even your live chat is being recorded. This means that as our kids are chatting with their friends, those friends can record their messages and then post them later. This could be a pretty big problem. It is likely that Snap Inc. will eventually add the ability to be notified when someone is screen recording your Snaps. You’ll see an article about it here, for sure, when that happens.
Ads will Open New Games, Videos, and Interactive Ads
Snapchat also announced a partnership with content creators who will be providing new ways for Snapchat users to experience ads. The new format for ads will include videos, interactive ads, and built-in games. Their goal is to cause users to interact more with advertising in Snapchat and lure more marketers to the platform.
What Parents Should Know
Snapchat continues to be a popular social media platform for teens and preteens. Internet Safety experts show concern about Snapchat because of its Discover page, private messaging and video messaging, and disappearing photos and videos. It is important to stay informed as to what the app is capable of when they release updates. Hopefully, this information can help you make a quality decision on what to do with your teen’s Snapchat account.