Snapchat has rolled out a fresh set of family safety features aimed at giving parents clearer insights into how their teenagers use the platform. The update, introduced through Snapchat’s Family Center, focuses on encouraging healthier digital habits while maintaining a balance between parental guidance and teen privacy.

In recent years, concerns around screen time, online safety, and digital well-being have grown rapidly. With millions of teenagers using social media daily, parents often struggle to understand what their children do online. Snapchat’s latest update seeks to bridge this gap by offering practical tools that promote transparency, trust, and informed family conversations.

Detailed View of Screen Time and Daily Usage

One of the most important additions is a new screen time tracking feature. Parents can now see the average amount of time their teen spends on Snapchat each day. This information is not limited to a single number. Instead, it is broken down by different activities such as chatting with friends, sending snaps, using the camera, exploring Snap Map, and watching content on Stories and Spotlight.

This activity-wise breakdown helps parents understand not just how long their teen is on the app, but how that time is being spent. For example, parents can differentiate between time spent creating content and time spent passively consuming videos. Snapchat believes this clarity will help families have more meaningful discussions about digital balance rather than relying on guesswork.

The company says the goal is not to monitor every move, but to encourage healthy habits and mindful usage. By seeing clear patterns, parents and teens can work together to set realistic boundaries around screen time.

More Context Around New Friend Connections

Another major upgrade focuses on friend tracking. Parents could already view their teen’s friends list and recent additions. Now, Snapchat adds an extra layer of context by showing how a new contact might be connected to the teen.

For example, parents may see whether a new friend was added through mutual friends, shared communities, or saved contacts. These “trust signals” are designed to reassure parents that their teen is interacting with people they may already know in real life.

This feature does not reveal private messages or conversations. Instead, it offers background information that helps parents assess whether a new connection looks familiar or potentially risky.

New Safety and Learning Resources for Families

To make these tools easier to use, Snapchat has launched a new instructional video that guides parents through the setup process. The video explains how to activate Family Center features and understand the available controls.

Family Center already includes options such as content filtering, location sharing, and the ability to report suspicious accounts. Parents can also block access to Snapchat’s My AI chatbot. In the coming weeks, they will be able to restrict the AI-powered search tool powered by Perplexity as well.

These steps show Snapchat’s growing focus on responsible AI use, especially for younger users.

Balancing Safety and Teen Privacy

Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy for APAC at Snap Inc., said the new update is designed to offer useful information without invading privacy. According to her, the features provide practical data that helps families talk openly about online habits while still respecting a teenager’s independence.

Snapchat’s approach reflects a broader shift in the tech industry, where platforms are trying to move beyond strict surveillance and instead promote guided digital parenting.

A Step Towards Healthier Online Habits

With these updates, Snapchat joins a growing list of platforms that are investing in family-focused safety tools. As social media becomes more central to teen life, such features may play a key role in building trust between parents and children.

The new Family Center tools are rolling out gradually and will be available to users in several regions, including India. For parents looking to better understand their teen’s online world, these updates offer a more transparent and balanced way forward.