Snapchat is a popular social media app, especially among teens. However, with the app’s increasing popularity comes the risk of interacting with anonymous users, which can be dangerous. This article provides tips on how to find out the real name of a Snapchat user and other ways to stay safe while using the app.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send and receive photos and videos that disappear after a few seconds.
It was developed in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown.
Users can also chat with friends, create stories, and use filters and stickers to enhance their snaps.
With its popularity growing over the years, Snapchat has become a staple for many people’s social networking habits.
Risks of Using Snapchat
Snapchat has some risks and challenges regarding security and safety. One is identifying who you are talking to on the app.
Unlike other social media platforms, Snapchat does not require users to provide their real names or additional personal information when they sign up.
Users can choose any username they want, and they can also change it at any time. This means you may only know the real identity of the person you are chatting with on Snapchat if they share it with you voluntarily.
This can pose some problems, such as:
- You may be talking to someone pretending to be someone else, such as a friend, a celebrity, or a potential date.
- You may be talking to someone who is trying to scam you, harass you, or blackmail you.
- You may be talking to someone underage or overaged, which may not be appropriate for your age group.
- You may be talking to someone with a criminal record or a history of violence or abuse.
Finding out the actual names of the users you are interacting with
Because of the above-mentioned risks, you might want to find out the real names of your Snapchat friends. Here are some tips on how to do that:
Ask them directly
The simplest way to find out someone’s real name on Snapchat is to ask them politely and respectfully.
You can explain why you want to know their name, for safety reasons, or to get to know them better.
However, remember that they may not want to share their name with you, or they may lie about it. So, do not pressure them or trust them blindly.
Check their profile
Another way to find out someone’s real name on Snapchat is to check their profile.
You can tap on their username or avatar to see their profile information, such as their display name, snap score, bitmoji, and stories.
Sometimes, users may include their real name or initials in their display name or bitmoji.
You can also look for clues in their stories, such as photos or videos that show their face, voice, location, school, work, hobbies, or friends.
Check Social Media Platforms
If you’re trying to find a Snapchat user’s real name, check the most popular social media platforms since many people use the same username across multiple platforms.
Search for the username on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites. If you’re able to find the user under the same username, you’ll likely be able to find their real name since social media platforms require users to provide personal information.
Search online
A third way to discover someone’s real name on Snapchat is to search online.
You can use a search engine like Google or Bing to look up their username or display name and see if it matches any other social media accounts or websites.
You can use the advanced search functions of search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo, to make the search more efficient.
This allows you to narrow down your search to include only the most relevant results. For example, you can limit your search to include only webpages published in the past week or sites that contain the username.
You can also try searching for the username with the words’ Snapchat username search’ included. This will help find forums or social media networks where the person is actively participating.
You can also use a reverse image search tool like TinEye or Google Images to upload their profile picture or any snaps they have sent you and see if they appear anywhere else online.
You may also be able to find them through a reverse phone number lookup. This search can also help you determine if the person is associated with a business or registered with a professional networking site.
If that fails, try to search for them using a different name or combination of names, such as their first name and last initial. It’s also helpful to look for other information about the user such as their age, location, and interests, which can narrow down the search.
Finally, you can also use a variety of Snapchat username search engines to help find a user’s real name.
These search engines, like Ghostdex or Ghostcodes, are designed to collect and index public profiles on Snapchat, making finding information about a particular user easier.
You can search for the user by username and find their real name and other profile information. But remember that these search engines will only show public profiles.
Tips on How to Safely Use Snapchat
Tip 1: Enable Two-factor Authentication
Two-factor Authentication is a feature that adds an extra layer of security to your Snapchat account. With this enabled, you must enter your Snapchat password and a code sent to your phone logging into your Snapchat account.
This way, even if someone knows your password, they won’t be able to access your account without your code. Follow these steps to enable 2FA:
- Tap ⚙️ in My Profile to open Settings
- Tap’ Two-Factor Authentication’
- Tap ‘Continue’ to finish setting it up!
- Select ‘SMS’ as your verification method or Select’ Authentication App’ as your verification method (if you prefer to use an authenticator)
Tip 2: Adjust Your Privacy Settings
Snapchat has various privacy settings that allow you to control who can see your snaps and stories, who can contact you, and who can find you on the app. To adjust your privacy settings, follow these steps:
- Tap the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen to open Snapchat’s Settings menu.
- Tap Privacy. This is near the top of the screen.
- Under Who Can…, you can choose who can send you snaps, view your stories, see your location on Snap Map, request your location, see you in Quick Add, and see your public profile.
- You can also block or delete users who are bothering you or who you don’t want to interact with anymore.
- Under Additional Services, you can turn off features like Snapcash, which allows you to send and receive money through Snapchat, or Shazam, which allows you to identify songs playing around you.
Tip 3: Be Careful about What You Snap
Snapchat is known for its ephemeral nature: snaps and chats disappear after they are viewed or after 24 hours if they are posted to your story.
However, this does not mean that they are completely gone forever. There are ways that people can save or screenshot your snaps without your knowledge, such as using third-party apps or screen recording tools.
Therefore, you should always be careful about what you snap and who you snap it to. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Don’t snap anything that is illegal, inappropriate, offensive, or that could harm yourself or others.
- Don’t snap anything that you wouldn’t want anyone else to see or that could damage your reputation or relationships.
- Don’t snap anything that contains personal or sensitive information, such as your address, phone number, bank details, passwords, etc.
- Don’t snap anything that could be used against you by hackers, scammers, bullies, stalkers, or blackmailers.
- Don’t snap anything that violates Snapchat’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service.
Snapchat can be a fun and creative way to communicate with your friends and family, but it also comes with some risks and responsibilities.
By following these tips, you can enjoy using Snapchat while staying safe and secure.
Conclusion
Snapchat can be a fun and exciting way to communicate with your friends and make new ones. However, it can also be a scary place if you are not careful.
By following these tips on how to find out someone’s real name on Snapchat and how to use the app safely, you can protect yourself and enjoy the app. Happy snapping!
