Snapchat's Family Center: Watchdog Says It Won't Protect Kids
Unspecified location – October 19, 2026 -- Parents who link to their child through Snapchat's new Family Center can see the child's friend list and who they messaged in the past seven days, but the Organization for Social Media Safety says the tool will not meaningfully improve child safety.
The tool shows contacts, not conversations
Snap, Inc. announced Family Center this month. Parents must first request permission from their child. Snap confirmed that the tool gives parents no insight into "the substance of those conversations."
Four criticisms from the safety watchdog
First, the group says teens intent on risky activity can simply use a second, secret account, which Family Center cannot monitor. Snap responded that people with multiple accounts must fully log out to switch between them. In the group's test, switching took about four seconds, the same time it took to reach Family Center from the home screen.