Washington: After facing a lot of criticism for not taking its abuse and harassment policies seriously, Snapchat has now banned anonymous messaging features from third-party apps that integrate with its platform.

As per The Verge, the change comes after a lawsuit last year sought to hold Snapchat liable for misuse of its platform linked to the death of a teenager who was being bullied on two Snapchat-connected apps.

“While we know that most Snapchatters used these anonymous integrations in fun, engaging, and entirely appropriate ways, we believe some users might be more prone to engage in harmful behaviour — such as bullying or harassment — if they have the shroud of anonymity,” the company said in a blog post.

Snapchat has also stated that “it will require friend-finding or meetup apps in its developer program to be restricted to people 18 and older to protect young users.”