Snapchat has announced major updates to its parental monitoring tools, giving parents deeper visibility into their teens’ screen time and social connections. The move comes just days after Snap settled a lawsuit accusing the company of contributing to social media addiction and teen mental health issues, signaling a broader effort to address growing regulatory and parental concerns.
New Screen Time Tracking Features
Through Snapchat’s Family Center, parents and guardians can now view how much time their teen spends on the app each day over the past week. More importantly, this data is broken down by activity, including chatting, snapping, using the camera, browsing Snap Map, or watching content on Stories and Spotlight.
This feature allows parents to better understand not just how long their teens are online, but how they are using the platform. By identifying excessive usage patterns, families can have more informed conversations around digital well-being, balance, and healthy screen habits.
Greater Transparency Into Friends and Connections
Snap has also enhanced visibility into teens’ social networks. While parents could already see their teen’s full friend list, they can now understand how their teen likely knows new contacts. For example, parents can see if a new friend shares mutual connections, appears in saved contacts, or belongs to the same community groups.
According to Snap, these “trust signals” are designed to help parents feel confident that their teen is communicating with people they know in real life. If something seems unfamiliar, parents are better equipped to start a constructive and supportive conversation.
A Response to Growing Regulatory Pressure
Snap launched Family Center in 2022 amid increasing scrutiny over how social media platforms affect minors. Since then, the company has added features such as interaction history tracking, screen time limits, and the ability to block access to its My AI chatbot.
The latest upgrades follow Snap’s settlement with a 19-year-old plaintiff who accused social media platforms of using addictive design features that harmed young users’ mental health. While Snap resolved its case, similar lawsuits against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are still moving forward.
What This Means for Parents and Teens
These new tools reflect a broader industry shift toward transparency, accountability, and youth safety. By offering parents actionable insights rather than surveillance-style monitoring, Snapchat aims to balance teen privacy with meaningful protection.
As concerns about digital addiction and online safety continue to rise, Snapchat’s expanded Family Center tools may become a model for how social media companies can empower families while maintaining trust.
