New Snapchat Features: What Parents Need to Know in 2026

Snapchat remains one of the most popular platforms among UK teenagers, with Ofcom data showing it is used by over 70% of 13- to 17-year-olds. Recent updates have introduced several new features that parents should be aware of. The most significant change is the expansion of Snapchat's Family Centre, which now allows parents to see who their child has been communicating with (though not the content of messages), view their child's privacy settings, and receive alerts if their child is contacted by someone they have blocked. To use Family Centre, both the parent and child must opt in — it cannot be set up covertly. Snapchat has also tightened default settings for users under 18. New accounts created by minors now default to the strictest privacy settings: only friends can send messages or view stories, location sharing via Snap Map is off by default, and the account is not discoverable via Quick Add (the feature that suggests friends based on mutual contacts and location). However, there are areas of concern. Snapchat's My AI chatbot — powered by artificial intelligence — is available to all users and can generate responses on a wide range of topics. Whilst safety filters exist, testing has shown that the chatbot can occasionally provide inappropriate advice or discuss topics not suitable for younger users. Parents should discuss AI chatbot use with their children and consider whether the feature should be restricted. Snapchat's disappearing messages feature remains a concern for many parents, as it creates a false sense of privacy. Children should understand that anything sent via Snapchat can be screenshotted by the recipient, and that 'disappearing' does not mean 'gone forever'. Recommended actions for parents: Set up Family Centre with your child's cooperation — this works best as a collaborative safety measure. Review your child's friends list to ensure they only have contacts they know in real life. Discuss the limitations of disappearing messages. Check whether your child is using My AI and discuss what it can and cannot be trusted to provide.