Snap Map
Tool Description : A SnapChat feature that allows you to view friends’ shared locations, as well as public Snaps on an interactive map.
Snap Map
Quick Overview
What it does
It shows the locations of friends on a map (if they’ve chosen to share them), publicly shared Snaps, and a heat map of recent activity at particular locations globally.
How to use it
Open Snap Map in the Snapchat mobile app by pinching inward on the camera screen/tapping your profile & selecting ‘Map’. From here, you will be able to see friends who share their location, explore public Snaps in different areas, and adjust your location privacy settings (including Ghost Mode).
Cost
Free
Account required
Yes - the web version is no longer available so an account is required to use the app.
Cookies
N/A. App-specific storage and identifiers (web version currently unavailable)
Ownership
Snap Inc; an American technology company based in the US, co-founded by Evan Spiegel & Bobby Murphy (US citizens).
Use in Reporting
Useful primarily as a real-time visual tool for understanding locations, events, and social activity, in particular highlighting gatherings, protests, accidents, or unusual activity. Also useful for geolocation verification & cross-referencing with other OSINT sources.
What does Snap Map do?
Snap Map is a built-in location feature within Snapchat that displays users’ shared locations and publicly submitted Snaps on an interactive world map.
If a user has chosen to share their location with friends, their Bitmoji appears on the map, and if users submit public Snaps tagged to a place, those posts can be viewed by others browsing that area.
The map also includes activity ‘heat zones’ that indicate where many Snaps are being posted, helping users see where events/gatherings may be happening. Importantly, location sharing is optional and controlled through the app’s privacy settings.
The lowdown: Snap Map is a visual, map-based way of viewing friends and publicly shared, location-tagged content from around the world in real-time.
How to Use:
Install Snapchat from the App Store/Google Play and create an account or login.
Open Snap Map by using two fingers to pinch inward on the Camera screen (the main screen when you open Snapchat). Alternatively, tap your profile icon on the top left and tap ‘Map’ under your profile section.
Choose your location sharing settings - you’ll likely want to opt for ‘Ghost Mode’ so no one can see you. You can change this anytime by heading to Profile - Settings - See my location. (Your location only updates when the app is open).
To view public activity, zoom in on cities or neighbourhoods, tap glowing areas (heat zones*), click on the coloured dots on the map, or tap specific venues (landmarks, stadiums etc.) You’ll then see publicly submitted Snaps from your chosen location.
*Re the heat map, Blue = lower activity. Yellow/Red = high activity.
Cost:
Data Processing
Account required:
Snap Map is no longer available on the web (correct as of 14.02.26). All map access must be done through the mobile app, with an account to view friend locations (if shared) and public posts.
Cookies:
N/A - Snap Map is not available on the web browser currently. The app keeps most data in internal storage.
Use in Reporting
Journalists & OSINT investigators can see where Snaps are being posted which often highlights gatherings, protests, accidents or unusual activity. Heat maps indicate high activity areas, helping to identify events before they appear in mainstream media.
Public Snaps can also prove useful in geolocation verification, supporting fact-checking or corroborating social media reports from other platforms. Snap Map posts can be correlated with satellite imagery, social media posts, or news reports to build up a more complete picture of an incident.
Most notably, Snap Maps has been used to view the humanitarian crisis in Gaza - although this was easier when the app was available on web browsers.
Capabilities
Limitations
View Friends’ Locations - if they’ve chosen to share their location
Only available currently via the app, meaning you need an account even to access publicly shared Snaps. Ghost Mode hides your location but Snapchat still processes location data per its policy.
View Public Snaps from specific locations around the world.
Ghost Mode and other privacy settings prevent location visibility.
Access heat map activity, useful for spotting events or popular spots.
Public Snaps and activity are often short-lived, limiting historical analysis.
Monitor real-world events, gatherings or local activity through user-generated content.
Mostly active in urban/high Snap-chat use areas. Rural/low activity regions may show little to no data.
Summary
Snap Map is useful during the discovery and situational awareness phase of an OSINT workflow, allowing users to explore publicly shared, geotagged content and visible activity hotspots in real time. It relies on opt‑in location sharing and user‑submitted public posts, meaning it surfaces only what individuals have chosen to make visible and does not grant access to private accounts or non‑public data.
Ownership
Snap Map (and Snap Chat) are owned by Snap Inc, formerly Snapchat Inc. Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy are the co-founders who maintain majority (95%) voting power over the company.
Snap Inc is an American technology company based in the United States. Both Spiegel and Murphy are US citizens - Spiegel being born and raised in the Los Angeles area, and Murphy an American entrepreneur of Irish-American and Filipino-American background.
Ethical Considerations
Only view content that users have chosen to share publicly - avoid attempting to bypass privacy controls.
Do not use location data to track/harass specific individuals.
Verify Snaps & locations carefully - misinterpretation can lead to false reporting or harm.
Share and handle data responsibility, especially in terms of graphic/sensitive information and where minors/vulnerable people are concerned.
Sharing/publishing information from Snap Map should consider whether affected parties consented to public exposure.
Related Tools:
Instagram Map
Sources:
https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-gb/sections/5689786363284-Snap-Map
https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/snap-map
https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/03/snapchat-snap-map-israel-hamas-war-gaza-palestine/
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