Mumbai, January 24: Snapchat has announced a significant expansion of its Family Center parental oversight tools, aimed at providing caregivers with deeper insights into how teenagers interact with the platform. The updates, which focus on usage breakdown and friend connection context, are designed to foster informed discussions about digital well-being without compromising the private content of teen conversations.

The social media giant originally launched the Family Center in 2022 to offer practical support for parents. This latest rollout reflects a broader push by digital platforms to address growing concerns regarding adolescent screen time, online safety, and mental health, particularly as debates around digital habits intensify in Indian households. ChatGPT New Feature: OpenAI Rolls Out ‘Tab Groups’ for Better Organisation and Group Related Conversation.

Snapchat Parental Oversight Features

One of the primary additions is a detailed breakdown of time spent on the application. Parents can now view the average daily time their teenager spent on Snapchat over the previous week. Rather than providing a single total, the data is categorised by specific features, such as chatting, snapping, using the camera, exploring the Snap Map, or viewing content on Spotlight and Stories.

By providing these metrics, Snapchat aims to replace assumptions with concrete information, allowing families to discuss healthy screen time habits more effectively. Uthara Ganesh, Snapchat’s Head of Public Policy, stated that these updates are intended to support informed conversations while maintaining a balance between safety and privacy.

Teen Safety and Digital Habits

The update also enhances visibility regarding social connections. While parents could previously see their teen's friend list, the new feature provides "trust signals" for new additions. Caregivers can now see how their teen might know a new contact, such as through mutual friends, shared communities, or if the person is saved in the teen’s phone contact book.

These contextual details are intended to give parents greater confidence that their children are interacting with people they know in real life. If a parent identifies an unfamiliar connection, the platform provides the necessary information to initiate a productive conversation or report potentially concerning accounts.

Online Safety Resources

Beyond monitoring tools, Snapchat has introduced new educational resources to help caregivers navigate the platform’s safety settings. This includes a step-by-step explainer video and the integration of 'The Keys: A Guide to Digital Safety', an interactive course designed to educate both teens and families about online risks and protection. Grok Imagine New Feature Update: Elon Musk’s xAI Launches 10-Second Video Generation; Comes With Improved Audio and Video Quality.

In addition to these new features, the Family Center continues to allow parents to set content restrictions and disable access to the My AI chatbot. The platform has also confirmed that parents will soon be able to manage access to the AI-powered search engine Perplexity, further expanding the suite of tools available to ensure a safe online experience for young users.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:5

TruLY Score 5 – Trustworthy | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 5 on LatestLY. It is verified through official sources (Snapchat ). The information is thoroughly cross-checked and confirmed. You can confidently share this article with your friends and family, knowing it is trustworthy and reliable.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2026 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).