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New Snapchat Feature Raising Safety Concerns

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The new Snap Map feature on Snapchat is raising safety concerns.

The best way to protect your location is by going into what's called "Ghost Mode."

KDKA's Julie Grant did a little experiment to find other Snapchat users by following the real-time Snap Map to the spots where someone was snapping.

Even if you're not friends with the person, a light will show up if they don't have their settings in Ghost Mode. It took us only a matter of minutes to introduce ourselves to Christie Gomez, of Puerto Rico. "That's weird haha! I thought only my friends could see me," said Gomez.

Imagine if it were a predator, looking to harm a child.

"With kids, it's pretty bad unless they have that privacy setting on there because anybody can see them," said Chad Perle or West Palm Beach, FL.

Moments later, the KDKA news crew easily spotted another person snapping. Snap Map was again spot on!

"Oh yeah I was snapping. Yeah," said Kevin Dotson of Pittsburgh.

"It's kind of creepy actually," said Charlie Stromberg of West Mifflin. Natalie Luax said the same, "It's kind of creepy."

In Ghost Mode, you can still be tracked by the Snapchat app, but it won't display your location to other users. To turn off your location data completely:

1) Go to Settings
2) Scroll down to Snapchat
3) Tap Location
4) Select Never

Just in case you were worried, the puppy filter remains the same.

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