Snapchat AI is a Chat GPT-powered chatbot that was launched earlier this year exclusively for Plus subscribers. It’s capable of simulating human-like conversations and engaging with users in a natural and interactive manner. This is achieved through the use of advanced machine-learning techniques and natural language processing algorithms.
Snapchat My AI can indeed perform various tasks such as answering questions, providing information, making recommendations, and more. It is designed to interact with users in a conversational manner, providing helpful responses to their queries.
Regarding Snapchat’s AI-powered feature, it was recently made available for free to all users in April and has impressed many with its advanced capabilities. However, there are also concerns being raised on social media about the possibility of the Snapchat AI bot tracking the user’s location.
It’s important to note that any features or capabilities of an AI-powered system, including tracking location, would need to be disclosed and transparent to users in accordance with data privacy regulations. Without clear disclosure and consent from the user, such practices would not be ethical or legal. Let’s find in detail why Snapchat users are raising concerns about the issue of My AI location tracking!
Is it true that Snapchat AI tracks your location?
Yes, it’s true that Snapchat’s My AI does track the user’s location, but the platform claims that it only shares a “city-level location” and “very generalized distances” to provide nearby recommendations to the user.
Snapchat AI says it doesn’t track your location but then tells you the nearest Macdonald’s to your location is only 1 mile away. In other words, Snapchat AI is gaslighting its users.
Snapchat AI knows your current location even if the location services are Turned off always and in extreme cases where the user has never posted his location ever. Some users also tried to ask whether the AI was able to track their location via IP address, but My AI lied immediately after giving hints of the location.
The AI utilizes Snap Map’s understanding of the user’s location and surrounding areas to provide useful place recommendations when the user is interacting with My AI. This is so that if the user asks for suggestions on nearby Italian restaurants, for instance, the AI can return relevant and helpful recommendations.
Users even went to the extent of enabling Ghost Mode on the Snapchat Map, but it did not work. In other words, the app won’t be able to offer nearby place recommendations. It’s worth noting that users have control over their location privacy settings and can adjust them as desired.
However, Snapchat says about Ghost Mode when using My AI:
“Your location is invisible to your friends on the Map, but your location is still shared with Snapchat, which enables My AI to give you nearby place recommendations”
Needless to say, Snapchat has started witnessing a sudden spike in 1-star reviews as users pan the ‘My AI’ feature. A few more issues surfacing on the internet have scared parents and many have decided to uninstall on their kids’ devices.
It’s worth noting that Snapchat has privacy policies in place to protect user data and ensure that any sharing of location information is done with the user’s consent and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
What is the reason behind Snapchat AI knowing your location?
In general, it is possible for apps to use a combination of methods to determine a user’s location, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower data. It’s also common for apps to collect and use data for various purposes, including providing recommendations and improving user experiences. However, it’s important to review and understand an app’s privacy policy and settings to make informed decisions about how your data is being used.
Snapchat AI also confirms that it gets information from two sources. One is the IP address on Wi-Fi for location approximation, and the other source is Snapchat’s app which has access to location based on settings telling the AI on the backend. That explains that even if the location is turned off SnapChat My AI can access your location via your IP address.
Do share with us your thoughts on the experience and whether you would like Snapchat to make amendments. Don’t forget to read Why is AI on Snapchat throwing a Usage Limit error?
