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New Snapchat feature concerns Kissimmee police

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Kissimmee police warned parents on Monday about a new Snapchat feature.

Snap Map shows a map of nearby friends by obtaining GPS information from the user’s phone.

Snap Map not only shows a person’s location, but also any photos or videos the user has posted, police said. users can make their map visible to everyone, their friends or a select group of friends.

Police said they’re concerned because not every Snapchat user may know who is on their friends list. Police have suggested users set their location to “ghost mode” which will hide the location.

“It is important to be careful about who you share your location with,” said Chief Jeff O’Dell in a news release. “It can allow people to learn your travel patterns such as where you live, go to school and how you spend your time. It can also let a potential burglar know when you are not home.”

To place the app in “ghost mode," open Snapchat and pinch the screen when the camera is on, then turn the ghost mode on.

Snap Map location sharing is set to off by default and optional for users.