Snapchat has introduced a new feature called Home Safe, allowing users to automatically notify a friend when they’ve arrived home after going out.
The feature is designed for moments such as returning from a night out, a concert, or a trip.
Ryan Ferguson, Managing Director, Snap Inc. Australia and New Zealand, said: “From the very beginning, Snapchat was designed to prioritise safety and wellbeing, and with a community of over 8 million Australians using our platform to connect with family and friends every month, that commitment is more important than ever.
“We all have those moments when we want to let friends and family know we’ve arrived safely, but remembering to send a message can slip your mind
“Home Safe alerts help take care of that, offering a seamless way to share that little bit of certainty with the people you trust most. As a parent myself, it’s reassuring to be able to bring this new feature to our Aussie Snapchatters.”
Ryan Ferguson: ‘Snapchat was designed to prioritise safety and wellbeing, and with a community of over 8 million Australians using our platform to connect with family and friends every month.’
To use the Home Safe feature, the platform suggests setting home location on Snap Map by tapping your Bitmoji, then selecting “My Home.”
When heading out, tap the Map icon in a conversation, then select “Home Safe.” The platform noted that when you’ve returned home, an automatic notification will be sent to your chosen contact.
Location sharing remains off by default on Snap Map. Alerts can only be sent to friends with existing location-sharing permissions. The feature is designed to balance connectivity with privacy.
Snap Map is used by more than 400 million people each month. The launch of Home Safe follows Snapchat’s addition of location-sharing to Family Centre, its in-app parental controls, last year.
The launch of Home Safe follows Snapchat’s addition of location-sharing to Family Centre, its in-app parental controls, last year.