Young social media users are all about the new Snapchat feature announced last week. Called Snap Map, the new location-sharing feature allows users to see where their friends are. Snapchatters are loving it because it’s cool, interactive and makes it easier to connect with friends in real life. Plus, no more FOMO!
The problem is it allows everyone you connect with on Snapchat to see where you are, including reprobates and catfishers (people using fictional online personas to lure people into relationships). Catfishers and others who may harm your child get added to friend lists because young Snapchatters tend to be less discriminating. And for some social media users, the more online ‘friends’ they have the more popular they perceive themselves to be.
If your child uses the Snap Map feature, encourage them to discontinue it or put it in “ghost” mode. That will allow your child to see where friends are, but won’t allow anyone to see them. Be sure to talk with them about who their online friends are, the importance of only adding people they know in real life and being selective about who they connect with.
As soon as you’ve had that discussion, be sure to follow your own good advice.
By the way, if you don’t know what FOMO is, just ask your kids.
By Brent Smith, La Crosse Business Lawyer, Johns, Flaherty & Collins, SC. For a business lawyer in La Crosse, call him at 608-784-5678.