Snapchat Accused of Facilitating Child Exploitation by New Mexico Prosecutors
New Mexico's Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, has initiated a lawsuit against Snap Inc. The action follows an undercover investigation and accuses the company of fostering an environment conducive to child sexual exploitation via its Snapchat app. The lawsuit, lodged on Thursday, alleges that Snapchat's disappearing images and messages have enabled predators to gather sexually explicit images of minors and use them for blackmail.
The lawsuit claims that Snapchat has become the primary platform for these so-called "sextortion" schemes, largely due to its distinctive design features. The application's fleeting messaging and other user-connecting elements have created a false sense of safety, making it simpler for predators to target underage individuals, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is the result of a lengthy undercover investigation conducted by the New Mexico Department of Justice. The investigation revealed a considerable network of dark websites sharing non-consensual images from Snapchat. A press release from the Attorney General's Office states the investigation discovered over 10,000 such records in the past year alone.
Attorney General Torrez stated in a press release, "Our undercover investigation revealed that Snapchat’s harmful design features create an environment where predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes and other forms of sexual abuse."
Torrez criticized Snap Inc. for allegedly deceiving users into believing their content would vanish after being viewed. He added, "Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear, but predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold, and stored indefinitely."
The lawsuit also contends that Snapchat's attempts to distinguish itself from other social media platforms are misleading and potentially hazardous. The lawsuit states, "Snap may claim that Snapchat is unlike other social media, but those claims are false and knowingly so. Snap’s conduct is not only dangerously deceptive; it is unlawful."
New Mexico's legal action is not limited to Snap Inc. The state is also suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that it facilitated similar child sexual exploitation activities on its platforms.
In response to the allegations, Snap Inc. stated on Thursday that they are reviewing the Attorney General’s complaint and will respond in court. A Snap spokesperson said in a statement, "We share Attorney General Torrez’s and the public’s concerns about the online safety of young people and are deeply committed to Snapchat being a safe and positive place for our entire community, particularly for our younger users."
The spokesperson added, "We understand that online threats continue to evolve and we will continue to work diligently to address these critical issues."
Bottom Line
The allegations against Snap Inc. are serious and could have significant implications for the company's reputation and user trust. It raises questions about the responsibility of social media platforms in ensuring the safety of their users, particularly minors. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think social media companies are doing enough to protect their users from exploitation? Share this article with your friends and let them know about this ongoing issue. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
Snapchat Accused of Facilitating Child Exploitation by New Mexico Prosecutors
New Mexico's Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, has initiated a lawsuit against Snap Inc. The action follows an undercover investigation and accuses the company of fostering an environment conducive to child sexual exploitation via its Snapchat app. The lawsuit, lodged on Thursday, alleges that Snapchat's disappearing images and messages have enabled predators to gather sexually explicit images of minors and use them for blackmail.
The lawsuit claims that Snapchat has become the primary platform for these so-called "sextortion" schemes, largely due to its distinctive design features. The application's fleeting messaging and other user-connecting elements have created a false sense of safety, making it simpler for predators to target underage individuals, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is the result of a lengthy undercover investigation conducted by the New Mexico Department of Justice. The investigation revealed a considerable network of dark websites sharing non-consensual images from Snapchat. A press release from the Attorney General's Office states the investigation discovered over 10,000 such records in the past year alone.
Attorney General Torrez stated in a press release, "Our undercover investigation revealed that Snapchat’s harmful design features create an environment where predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes and other forms of sexual abuse."
Torrez criticized Snap Inc. for allegedly deceiving users into believing their content would vanish after being viewed. He added, "Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear, but predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold, and stored indefinitely."
The lawsuit also contends that Snapchat's attempts to distinguish itself from other social media platforms are misleading and potentially hazardous. The lawsuit states, "Snap may claim that Snapchat is unlike other social media, but those claims are false and knowingly so. Snap’s conduct is not only dangerously deceptive; it is unlawful."
New Mexico's legal action is not limited to Snap Inc. The state is also suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that it facilitated similar child sexual exploitation activities on its platforms.
In response to the allegations, Snap Inc. stated on Thursday that they are reviewing the Attorney General’s complaint and will respond in court. A Snap spokesperson said in a statement, "We share Attorney General Torrez’s and the public’s concerns about the online safety of young people and are deeply committed to Snapchat being a safe and positive place for our entire community, particularly for our younger users."
The spokesperson added, "We understand that online threats continue to evolve and we will continue to work diligently to address these critical issues."
Bottom Line
The allegations against Snap Inc. are serious and could have significant implications for the company's reputation and user trust. It raises questions about the responsibility of social media platforms in ensuring the safety of their users, particularly minors. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think social media companies are doing enough to protect their users from exploitation? Share this article with your friends and let them know about this ongoing issue. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
