Have you seen a little lock symbol next to your friend’s story on Snapchat? Why is it there? What does it mean? Does it mean they have locked you out?
If you are scratching your head after seeing this and wondering what could it possibly mean? Then this article is for you.
When you see a lock symbol on any Snapchat story, it means that story is private. This story is viewable to you because you and some other friends are a segregated audience of the story. So, this feature allows you to hide your story from some of your friends and show it to others.
Want to know more about the private story feature and how to make your stories private on Snapchat? Then, keep reading!
Little Lock on Snapchat – The Back Story
When the coronavirus pandemic happened, and we all were stuck at home, many people had nothing better to do than use social media. Social media provided a rescue against all the confusion and uncertainties brought by the pandemic.
So, during that time, like any other social media, Snapchat rescued all those poor souls dying of boredom (even fear) at home with its content.
While on Snapchat, many people noticed something that got them all confused — the little lock or padlock symbol next to some stories. Many people went straight to Twitter to ask what it meant.
I remember people asking me what it meant back then. I gave them detailed answers (being a social media nerd). Don’t worry! You are also getting detailed info in this blog post.
Let’s figure out what this little lock means and how it can help you in your Snapchatting.
Meaning & Significance of Little Lock on Snapchat
When you see a lock symbol next to someone’s Snapchat story, you do not have to scratch your head anymore. Let me tell you what it signifies.
It indicates that a particular story is private.
This feature has been around for many years. It is reminiscent of the close friends’ story feature on Instagram.
The feature enables users to customize the audience of their stories. It helps them to keep their story open to a few people and hidden from others in their friends lists.
I am sure it is the lock that got you confused. The lock might get you thinking that the person has locked/ banned you somehow; in reality, it is the opposite. It means that you are among the chosen ones who can view this story.
The fact that you are seeing this little padlock or lock itself speaks that you are among the coveted audience.
Now, why would someone want to do this segregation to their friends?
Sometimes, we have some content we do not want to show to a few people but are okay with others viewing it.
For example, if you have your mother on your Snapchat or even a boss, you might want to hide any crazy story where you are partying and doing some weird stuff.
So, you can hide your story from them and show it to other people with this feature.
Similarly, if you have random people on your Snapchat (which you should not), keeping some stories private is a good idea.
If your story has something personal, like personal news or even your contact information, then hiding it from random friends is a good idea.
Avoid adding or accepting friend requests from random people on Snapchat. It is dangerous. These might be scammers who can retrieve your personal information through any means. They can be spam or bot accounts as well.
Lastly, having a personal story and limiting your audience is less time-consuming than sending Snap to each account. It is wiser to show a bunch of people your Snap with this feature than send them individually.
Now, let’s try to map out the steps to make a private Snapchat story.
How To Make a Private Snapchat Story?
To make a private story on Snapchat, follow these steps:
- Launch the Snapchat app on your mobile device.
- Tap your Bitmoji in the top left corner.
- Press the “+ New Story” button.
- Tap on the “New Private Story” option.
- Select one or more friends from the list to add them as the audience of your private story.
- Tress the “Create Story” button.
- Enter the name of your story in the “Name Your Story” box, and tap “Done.”
A new private story tab will appear under “My Stories” on your profile, which you can use to create your private story.
The Conclusion
When you see a lock symbol on your friend’s Snapchat story, then you should feel honored. It is because that person has chosen you as the audience of their story while locking out others from it.
This private story feature is helpful if you are trying to hide your story from a particular group. You can segregate your friends and determine the audience of your story with this feature.
