Did you know Snapchat had a stalkerish map feature? Here's why people are freaked out

Cape Town - There's a difference between admiring a crush and stalking them using social media and Snapchat's latest feature might have just given a thumbs up to the latter.  

As a social media platform, Snapschat has most travellers scratching their heads instead of sharing their escapes - and even more so since unveiling the new feature - Snap Map. It leverages your location data in a whole new way if you turn it on, and it’s got a lot of people freaked out.

As if the “Greetings from the Brooklyn Bridge” filter wasn't enough, Snap Map now tracks your current location and places your Bitmoji avatar on a map like a pin, which others can zoom in and find exactly where you are. Down to the street address.  This function is similar to Apple’s Find My Friends and Facebook’s Live Location feature. 

The thought of having someone low-key stalking you on a daily basis, who wouldn't be freaked out?!

Snapchat, like other social media apps, is a convenient way to connect with our friends and family, there are concerns about the ‘stalker factor’, especially for younger users of the platform who do not get the full implications of the technology.

Some people are worried about continuously broadcasting their location - but the good news to all this buzz is you can opt to turn off Snap Map feature and here's how:

If you are new to this update, Snapchat will guide you through the step-by-step tutorial and makes you aware about the Snap Map.

At first, users have to zoom in with the camera tool to get control over the map. After doing so, it will ask you to confirm who can see your location.

You get three choices: all your friends, select friends, or only 'me'. Choosing 'only me' activates what Snapchat calls Ghost Mode.

This makes your avatar disappear from others’ maps; like a true poltergeist, you can see other snapchatters' locations -  but they can’t see you. 

To turn off the data all together you have to visit the phone settings. Click on the settings and scroll down to the Snapchat and then click on the ‘location' and choose ‘never to share’ so that no one can track you until you allow them to see your position.

HOW TO TURN ON GHOST MODE ON SNAPCHAT MAPS

source:

traveller24.com