Snapchat Restricts Quick Add Feature to Prevent Drug Menace

When you sell anything illegal, use messengers. Especially safe ones, where your number isn’t exposed, your messages self-destruct after a while, and you can connect to strangers around – like Snapchat. This popularity, though, is not what Snapchat seeks, and now the company makes serious steps to prevent drug sales on its platform.

In 2021, Snapchat became one of the most popular platforms for drug dealing, so the company had to deal with it. Especially after several teens were found dead after fentanyl pills abuse which made it to the press afterward. Now the company introduces new measures meant to minimize this risk for its users.

First of all, there will be no more minors in the “Quick Add” feature that allows adding as friends anyone around you. Teens will only be shown as potential friends if they have at least several common friends with the inviting person. This will prevent contact between complete strangers and eliminate anonymity which enables drug dealing networks to function safely.

Second, powerful AI systems with machine learning-enabled go out hunting. According to the post by Jacqueline Beauchere in the official Snap blog, these systems detect about 88% of drug-related content on Snapchat. This work, though, required collaboration with experts who taught the system the drug-related slang and keep updating the vocabulary on a regular basis.

Last but not least: Snapchat is now more closely interacting with law enforcement structures in the US. Its AI detects drug talks, and among these drug talks, there are real offers. Though the share of direct selling talks diminishes, they are not completely eliminated. Snapchat keeps trying new methods to introduce more parental control while keeping talks private; a hard task.

Have a stranger ever offered you drugs on Snapchat or other messengers? Were you curious enough to follow the white rabbit? And do you think preventing drug abuse proactively is compatible with freedom of communication? Let’s have a sober discussion in the comments!