For Teens: Staying safe on Snapchat

Snapchat is fun, there's no denying that. It’s how we share random selfies, goofy filters, and late-night thoughts that (thankfully) disappear in 24 hours. But what doesn’t disappear are the risks of oversharing or letting the wrong people peek into your world.

Here’s how to keep your Snapchat experience fun, friendly, and safe.

Who Can Snap You?

When you first set up Snapchat, the default settings might be a little too open for comfort. You can change who’s allowed to send you Snaps by following these steps:

•    Tap your profile (the little ghost or Bitmoji in the corner).
•    Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
•    Scroll to the “Who Can” section.
•    Under “Contact Me,” choose My Friends instead of Everyone.

That one simple step keeps random strangers out of your DMs.

Control Who Sees Your Story

Sure, your weekend trip or game-day snap looks amazing, but do you really want everyone seeing it?

•    In Settings, tap “View My Story.”
•    Pick My Friends or Custom (which lets you choose certain friends only).

Choosing “Everyone” means anyone — literally anyone — can view your Stories. Stick to the people you actually know IRL.

How to Block Someone

Sometimes, people just don’t get the hint. If someone’s being annoying, creepy, or just not your vibe, you can block them in seconds:

•    Tap their username in your Friends list.
•    Hit the gear icon beside their name.
•    Select Block to stop them from sending you Snaps, viewing your Stories, or chatting with you.

If they’re not on your Friends list, swipe on their name in the Chat screen, open their profile, and block them there. Boom. Problem solved.

Bonus Privacy Tips

A few extra things to keep you safer and smarter on Snapchat:

•    Turn on Ghost Mode if you don’t want people to see your location on Snap Map. You can do this by tapping the map, hitting the gear icon, and toggling “Ghost Mode.”

•    Be careful what you screenshot. Even though Snapchat alerts people when you do, screenshots and screen recordings can still come back to haunt you.

•    Watch out for fake accounts. If something feels off — like a random person adding you or sending weird links — it’s okay to block and report.

•    Think before you post. Screenshots can make “temporary” photos permanent. If you wouldn’t want your teacher, boss, or grandma to see it, maybe skip posting it.

Snapchat can be a great way to stay connected, but privacy is power. Take a few minutes to tweak your settings and protect your space — it’s one of the smartest things you can do online. For more info on staying safe, check out Snapchat’s official safety page.

Keep your snaps fun, your streaks strong, and your privacy locked down.