Snapchat introduces features to block suspicious accounts to protect teens

Snapchat is beefing up its security features again to make it harder for strangers to communicate with teens on the app. The company is adding new warnings about "suspicious" contacts and proactively blocking friend requests from accounts that may be associated with fraud.

Here's What We Know

This is not the first time Snapchat has tried to dissuade teenage users from communicating with strangers in the app.

Snapchat uses new analysis and detection methods to identify potentially suspicious accounts. The system of updated signals analyses various aspects of user behaviour and can detect signs that a given account may be associated with a fraudster or other dangerous activity.

The social network will block friend requests sent by users who:

• Do not have friends in common with the recipient of the request.
• Have a "history of accessing Snapchat in places that are often associated with fraudulent activities".

The app's blocking feature will also be updated so that users who block someone will also automatically block new accounts created on the same device.

The company claims that these updates are aimed at combating fraud, including sexual extortion, which is common on social media among teenagers, as well as other security and privacy concerns.

Source: Snapchat