Snapchat has announced the launch of a new feature similar to their friends system that allows users to share their location in real-time with a friend for 15 minutes or a few hours. This new global feature aims to assist users in locating their friends while continuing their social lives. It can be used for everyday situations, such as ensuring that a friend gets home safely at night. Users can share their real-time location only with individual friends. Snapchat states that there is no option for users to send their real-time location details to all their friends on the platform for safety reasons. The company also notes that both parties must accept each other as friends on the platform before they can share their location.
When users decide to enable the feature, they are reminded that the tool is intended for use with close friends and family only. To reduce the risks of stalking or pressure to share location continuously, users can pause sharing temporarily without notifying the other party. Since 2017, the app has allowed users to share their location with friends via Snap Map when using Snapchat. Currently, 250 million people use the map to connect with friends each month. The company says this new real-time feature was created based on user feedback regarding how they use Snap Map with their friends. It notes that 78% of Snapchat users in the U.S. feel comfortable sharing their location via Snap Map because they believe it is a safe way to stay connected with others.
The new feature is being launched as part of a broader partnership with It’s On Us, a social movement created by Barack Obama and the White House Council on Women and Girls to raise awareness and combat sexual assault on U.S. college campuses. In addition to the new feature, the app is also releasing an in-app message focusing on increasing bystander awareness. The launch of the new feature comes after the platform announced users will be able to change their usernames starting February 23. Changing a username will not affect aspects of users' accounts, such as friends lists, Snap codes, Snap scores, and Memories. Users will not be able to select usernames that have already been used and can change their username once a year.
