By Mallory Mattingly
Parents, do you know about Snapchat’s hidden “My Eyes Only” photo vault? Child safety advocate Officer Gomez warns that your kids could be keeping dangerous secrets there.
“Snapchat has a built-in secret photo vault that many parents don’t know about. It’s called ‘My Eyes Only,’ and it’s designed to hide pictures and videos behind a PIN code,” Gomez said in a recent Facebook post, calling the feature “Snapchat’s Hidden Vault.”
According to Snapchat, “My Eyes Only is for Snaps that you want to keep extra private! After you move Snaps and Stories from your Memories to My Eyes Only, you’ll need to enter your My Eyes Only passcode to see them again.”
However, kids use the vault to store drug and nude photos, as well as party pics and anything they don’t want their parents to see.
“As a parent, it’s your job to check. You might just protect your child — or someone else’s by looking into this secret vault,” Gomez advised.
He also included a step-by-step list to gain access to this Snapchat feature:
Open the Snapchat app (yellow icon with a white ghost). You’ll land on the main camera screen (where kids take Snaps).
Tap the small “double card” icon near the capture button. This opens the Memories screen (photos & videos saved from Snapchat).
Look at the top tabs and tap “My Eyes Only.” If a PIN code is requested, there’s a vault set up.
If it asks for a PIN code, ask your child for it.
Common excuses include:
Related: Snapchat Adds New Features to Help Parents Keep Kids Safe
– “I forgot the code.”
– “I never set it up.”
(You can decide how far to push from there.)
If access is granted, review the contents carefully. Just know: this vault is separate from their private disappearing messages, which are a different layer of concern.
Snapchat isn’t something to mess around with.
A dad from Ontario, Canada, told CBC Canada that his son became addicted to illegal drugs after connecting with dealers through Snapchat.
“He can’t get through the day without using drugs,” the father said of his 15-year-old.
What once began as an addiction to cannabis has now turned into psychedelics like LSD.
“It became very scary going from ‘It’s just a little weed’ to something like that,” the father added. “I can see that he’s talked to people. I can’t see the messages.”
Knowing about features like the “My Eyes Only” vault is an important way parents can help keep their kids safe online.
Read Next: Did Snapchat Enable Sextortion? This State’s AG Says Yes
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