Snapchat has announced the addition of new safety features to its in-app hub, Family Centre. The features, which are set to be rolled out over the coming weeks, aim to provide parents and caregivers with more control and visibility over their teens' Snapchat use.

The new features will allow parents and caregivers to send a request to their teen, asking them to share their live location via a new button in the Family Centre. Additionally, parents will be able to see which friends their teens are sharing their location with on Snap Map.

The Family Centre will also enable families to choose three specific locations on Snap Map and receive notifications when their family member departs from or arrives at these locations. This comes as a significant update to Snapchat's Snap Map, which is used by more than 350 million people every month.

In addition to these location-based features, Snapchat is introducing in-app reminders for users to review their location sharing selections. This is in line with Snapchat's policy that location sharing is always off by default, and there is no option to share location with someone who is not an accepted friend.

These updates are part of Snapchat's ongoing commitment to safety, particularly for its younger users. The company, Snap Inc., is a technology company with three core products: Snapchat, Lens Studio, and Spectacles.

Ben Au, Public Policy Lead for Australia and New Zealand at Snap Inc., emphasised the company's commitment to safety, stating, "Snapchat is designed differently from more traditional social media - it’s a place for real-life friendships. We’ve always had extra protections for teens, but there is no finish line when it comes to safety. We’re committed to making Snapchat an even more fun and safe place for people to connect, and we’re pleased to introduce these new features to our Family Centre parental tools to help our community do just that."