Snapchat is one of the most popular social media applications with cool lenses and crazy filters. However, its prevalence often leads to unknown invites and spam from random people just for the sake of increasing snap scores.
Moreover, creepy strangers may bombard you with random invites or even go to the extent of calling you up randomly. Apart from that, there is always an imminent danger of privacy breaches through advertisers or hackers.
Now the app is generally conscious of user privacy specifically with its screenshot notification.” Still, ultimate privacy there have to be some security measures such as using a trusted VPN for a secure network. Specifically with privacy allegations connected to it.
Moreover, general privacy within the app is not enough to get rid of those creepy encounters and for keeping hackers or data snoopers at bay. For that, Snapchat provides several privacy options and settings, enabling users to take matters in their own hands.
We have, therefore, taken up the liberty and explored every way possible to gain privacy on Snapchat. With that, we have compiled this article that explored Snapchat privacy settings.
To get started, go to the privacy settings by clicking on your profile picture at the top left corner. This will reveal the settings button on the top right where all the Snapchat settings are listed for you to tweak with.
1. Turn on two-factor authentication
Snapchat is a private application where you generally contain your and your loved one’s pictures. It is, therefore, crucial to protect it from hackers and anyone who might want to snoop into your account.
Having two-factor authentication can allow you to have this account security. With 2FA, the only way to access your account is to add a password and a security verification code that the application sends to your cell phone. This way, only people who have access to your cell phone and account password both can log into it.
2. Turn off your location
Snapchat is a location tracker app- meaning it can track your location. This feature allows your friends and anyone who you have added to your Snapchat friends list to see your location. Now, this often comes in handy as it automatically adds up a location sticker to all your snaps.
However, this could also allow people to map your activity. Thankfully, Snapchat enables users to hide their location. All you need to do is go to “location” and click on “Ghost Mode” this disappears you off the map and makes you invisible to everyone.
If you don’t want to go completely AWOL from the map, you can allow a few people to see your location. For this, you can select the option “Only These Friends” and then further choose the friends you want to share your location with.
3. Manage Snapchat’s target ads
Most applications tend to send out target advertisements based on user activity. For this, they often collect varying amounts of personal information ranging from IP address, email address, Mobile Ad-ID, and user reaction to the ad.
Snapchat also collects data from user activity within the app to send out target advertisements such as likes or dislikes. Turning off these settings can ensure Snapchat doesn’t collect and sell out this data. It may even save you from annoying ads that are hindrances while using the app.
For managing Snapchat advertisement settings, scroll down to “Ads” in the settings tab. Click on ads and further click on “ad preferences” here you will find the following three options:
- Audience based: Ads based on audience list Snapchat received from advertisers and other partners.
- Activity-based: customized advertisements that Snapchat shows based on user activity.
- Third-party ad networks: These are third-party advertisements that Snapchat shows based on user information such as mobile Ad ID, IP address, and other such data.
Uncheck all these boxes to disable advertisements and ensure privacy.
4. Control who contacts you
Since Snapchat happens to be an increasingly popular social platform, people can receive creepy invites, calls messages, and whatnot over it. To steer clear of such creepiness, it is better to restrict who can contact you.
For this, you can scroll down in your settings tab, and from the “contact me” option, you can restrict it to friends only. Additionally, to prevent unwanted requests and invites, you can opt-out of the “Quick Add” option.
You can again change these settings by tapping on the “See Me in Quick Add” option and uncheck the box. You can also prevent unwanted requests and invites if you stop sharing your Snapchat username online.
Albeit, it seems like an excellent initiative to add more friends and increase the snap score, not to mention having more people for maintaining streaks with. However, this way, just about anyone can have your username and search you up and add you. It is, therefore, better to stop sharing such information over various platforms.
5. Manage Snapchat’s use of your contact
Synchronizing contacts allows easy update of your Snapchat list. While as convenient as this option may be, it enables Snapchat complete access to all your device’s phone book and all information on your contacts available in your device.
This option is not present as a default feature. Instead, Snapchat first asks your permission before synchronizing your contact information. If you have given the app permission to sync, it will automatically update your contacts anytime you make a change.
You can, however, turn this setting off without any hassles. All you need to do is uncheck “Sync Contacts” from the settings tab. You can further double-check every synchronized contact with Snapchat and go ahead to delete every contact information from the app.
6. Control Who You Share With
Social media platforms allow users to splash their personal lives for everyone to peek into. However, this necessarily doesn’t have to be the case. Snaps over Snapchat are often personal and intimate entries.
It may often contain an artistic background with a couplet reflecting your feelings, a morning selfie, your favorite food, or just a video with your favorite song playing in the background.
With such privy data, it is better to look at who you share it with. While sharing stories, make sure you have the settings at “My Friends” only. Also, before sharing snaps with people, make sure you are sharing them with people who are your friends and not a random stranger you have accidentally added up on Snapchat.
Moreover, Snapchat has this brilliant feature notifying you anytime someone takes a screenshot of your snap. It is better to make use of this feature and keep an eye out for such notifications. If anyone continually takes your screenshot, you can either confront that person or report the account and block the user.
Final words
Privacy over the internet is a waning concept. However, with a proper understanding of matters and the use of legitimate privacy tools can help attain some privacy and security online.
