According to a report from TechCrunch, Snapchat is rolling out a new feature called “Footsteps” for iOS users, with plans to expand to Android users soon. The feature, which was previously only available to Snapchat+ subscribers, lets users track their travel history on Snap Maps. With “Footsteps,” you can see how much of the world you’ve seen and which places you’ve visited, based on snaps saved in your Memories. While some users may find this feature exciting to keep track of their adventures, others may have concerns about privacy.

What new features is Snapchat working on?

The new feature, called “Footsteps”, allows users to see where they have traveled by displaying their activities on a Snap Map. It creates a visual representation of your travel history, showing how much you’ve visited in your city or country. For example, the app might show you that you’ve seen 30 percent of your city or 5 percent of Paris if you visited in the summer.

Initially, this feature uses previous Snaps saved in your Memories to build your travel history. After that, it will track your location in real time using location data to update your steps. This means that Snapchat will no longer rely on your Snap to generate trip details, but will instead use real-time location tracking. However, if Ghost Mode is active (a setting that hides your location from friends), Snapchat will not be able to track your activities.

How will the steps work?

Footsteps work by combining your location data and your saved Snaps. The app takes note of where you are based on the Snaps you save and updates it with real-time location data as you travel. To use the feature, Ghost Mode must be turned off, allowing Snapchat to access your location. However, this information is private and visible only to you.

You can choose to share your trip with friends by creating a custom sticker that displays your adventures. The app also lets you turn off the feature or clear your footsteps data if you decide you don’t want to use it anymore. You can do this by going to the app’s settings under the “Maps” section, where you can either turn off Footsteps or clear your trip history.

Does it violate users’ privacy?

While the idea of ​​tracking your travel history may raise concern, Snapchat has made efforts to protect users’ privacy. Footprints are only visible to you, meaning no one can see where you’ve been unless you choose to share it. Additionally, you have complete control over the feature, with the ability to turn it off at any time or delete your travel data. This gives users a sense of security, knowing that their location history will not be stored permanently unless they want it to be.

Although Snapchat collects location data, the company has made sure that users can manage their privacy settings. However, some users may still be uncomfortable with the app tracking their real-time location, even if the data is visible only to them. Whether this violates privacy depends on personal preferences and how much control users feel over their data.