Snapchat’s Snap Maps feature (probably) isn’t going to get you murdered

The Snap Maps feature has been around for about two weeks 一  long enough for paranoid Snapchat users and their parents to spread hysteria across the internet.

If you’re not caught up with the times, Snap Maps allows users to view the exact location of their friends. It’s like Apple’s Family Sharing, without the overbearing parents. As fun as the feature is, some people are not fans. There have been outrageous complaints about FOMO, disastrous cheating scandals, elaborate kidnappings, and the end of privacy as we know it.

To address these pressing issues, here are some things you should know:

Snapchat is for friends

Users can decide who they add as friends. Snapchat isn’t a “public” social media app like Instagram or Facebook, meaning the only people who can see your location are the people you have added as a friend. Snapchat is a very personal platform, so in most cases, interactions happen between real friends, not acquaintances or strangers.

Users have the option to share their location with all of their friends. Just go into your settings, find “See My Location” and tap “My Friends.”

You can choose who to share your location with

If you only want to share your location with one or two of your closest friends, you can. Many users aren’t comfortable with sharing their location with their entire friends list, so Snapchat gives you the option to select who does get to see your whereabouts.

You can turn your location off

Snapchat gives everyone the option to turn off Snap Maps with “Ghost Mode.” Enabling this setting means that no one will be able to see your location. Problem solved.

So before you flip out..

Open your settings, tap on “See My Location,” and choose your preferred location settings. You can rest assured knowing that no one will plan your death with Snap Maps.