# Snapchat starts disabling friend-finder feature for UK children, regulator says

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/snapchat-starts-disabling-friend-finder-feature-for-uk-children-regulator-says/
- Published: 2026-11-06T13:06:42+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T13:22:02+00:00
- Original publisher: CNA (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/snapchat-starts-disabling-friend-finder-feature-uk-children-regulator-says-6531441
- Topics: UK, World

## Key points

- Snapchat is disabling friend discovery by default for child users in Britain.
- Ofcom says the change could make it harder for strangers to contact children.
- The regulator says 32 per cent of 8 to 12-year-olds used Snapchat.

## Summary

Ofcom says Snapchat has begun turning off its “Find Friends” feature by default for children in Britain, making it harder for strangers to contact them. The regulator calls the change an important step to reduce online grooming risks and says it will monitor the rollout this month.

Snapchat committed to the change in May and has told Ofcom it expects effective age checks for under-18s to be in place by the end of the year. Ofcom said 32 per cent of British children aged 8 to 12 used Snapchat, despite its minimum age of 13; a 2025 analysis found that 40 per cent of identified offences involving sexual communication with a child took place on the platform.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.