Snapchat rolls out in-app Family Center, parental controls

After launching in the US a few months ago, Snap Inc. is now bringing its in-app Family Center and parental controls to India.

The in-app parenting controls allow parents and guardians to see who their kids are friends with online, and view contacts that their children have messaged in the last seven days. However, the exact content of the messages will remain hidden.

To use the feature, parents and guardians will need to download Snapchat on their devices and link their accounts with their children through an invite process. After the accounts are linked, parents can access family center from profile settings or by typing family or family center in app search.

Snap Inc. said that it is working with non-profit organisations in India to spread awareness about the new family center features, it will also keep adding new functionality over time.

"Snapchat is a central communications tool for so many young Indians, and as our community continues to grow, we know parents and caregivers want additional ways to help keep their teens safe," said Uthara Ganesh, Public Policy Head, India for Snap Inc, in a statement shared with TechCrunch.

"Our new in-app Family Center tool will help parents get more insight into who their teens are friends with on Snapchat, to help foster positive conversations about online safety while respecting the privacy and autonomy of teens," Ganesh added.

Snap Inc. is also partnering with non-profit organization Sangath to launch campaigns on World Mental Health Day and Bully Prevention Month.