Snapchat has launched a new feature called “Home Safe,” which automatically notifies a designated friend or family member when a user arrives home. The tool is designed to provide peace of mind by sending a confirmation alert, eliminating the need for users to remember to send a message after returning from an outing like a date, concert, or trip.
The “Home Safe” feature incorporates key privacy and safety measures. Alerts can only be sent to friends with whom a user has already enabled location sharing. The notification is a one-time alert that deactivates automatically after it is sent. Snapchat notes that location sharing on its Snap Map is off by default, meaning users must proactively choose to share their location to use this function.
To activate the feature, users must first set their address by tapping their Bitmoji on the Snap Map and selecting “My Home.” This location is only visible to the user and any friends they have approved for location sharing. To send an alert, a user can open a conversation with a friend, tap the Map icon, and select the “Home Safe” button. This will schedule an automatic, single-use notification to be sent to that friend upon the user’s return home.
“Home Safe” builds on the platform’s existing location-based tools. Snap Map is used by over 400 million people each month to connect with friends and discover nearby places. This new addition follows last year’s integration of location sharing into the Family Center, the app’s parental controls hub, as Snapchat continues to offer more ways for users to stay connected and safe.
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