What You Need to Know

Snapchat’s AI chatbot presents hidden dangers that many parents may not immediately recognize. While it appears to be a harmless digital companion, it can mislead teens by providing advice on sensitive topics such as relationships, mental health, and self-harm—without the empathy or nuance of a real human.

Teens, still developing their critical thinking skills, may accept the chatbot’s responses as fact, leading to potential misinformation and risky decisions. If you persist with specific topics, Snapchat AI will stop responding, but if the user restarts the app, they can continue the questions.

Additionally, privacy concerns arise as all interactions with the AI are recorded, feeding into Snapchat’s data collection systems. Perhaps most concerning, parents cannot remove the chatbot without purchasing a Snapchat+ subscription, making it impossible to limit their child’s exposure.

What You Should Do

Educate Your Teen About AI Limitations – Explain that AI chatbots, including Snapchat’s, do not think or understand emotions like humans. They generate responses based on patterns in data, which can lead to misinformation or advice that lacks empathy. Encourage your teen to question AI-generated responses rather than blindly accepting them as fact.
Encourage Open Communication – Create a safe space for your teen to talk about their online experiences. Let them know they can come to you with concerns about conversations they’ve had with the AI or other digital interactions. Avoid overreacting so they feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics with you instead of turning to a chatbot.
Set Privacy and Safety Boundaries – While Snapchat does not allow free users to remove the AI chatbot, you can still take steps to enhance privacy:
- Adjust Snapchat’s privacy settings to limit who can contact your child.
- Disable location-sharing features to prevent unnecessary data collection.
- Regularly review their app usage and discuss responsible online behavior.
Monitor App Usage and Conversations – If your teen is younger or more vulnerable, consider using parental control tools to monitor their interactions. Snapchat does not offer built-in AI chatbot restrictions, also, text can changed to disappear once you leave the chat, making what is discussed hidden. This is one of the big reasons why we recommend Snapchat not be installed.
Consider Limiting or Removing Snapchat Access – If the risks outweigh the benefits, you may want to limit the use of Snapchat altogether. This could mean setting screen time restrictions, encouraging alternative social apps with better parental controls, or discussing why taking a break from social media might be beneficial.

Not sure you’re doing enough to protect your child against digital dangers?
Call our cyber parenting hotline or email us for help:
801-692-6200
cyberparentinghelp@invisus.com