Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has filed a lawsuit against Snap, Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, for engaging in deceptive and unconscionable trade practices that harm minors. Griffin claims that Snapchat’s design features, such as disappearing messages and curated content, have exposed minors to foreseeable harms, including sextortion rings, predatory grooming, and violent content.
Design Features Criticized
Griffin argues that Snapchat’s design choices were calculated to leverage the developmental vulnerabilities of minors, creating addiction in children to maximize profits. The lawsuit also criticizes Snapchat’s age-verification system, which relies on self-reported birthdays and can be easily bypassed by children.
The lawsuit seeks to hold Snap accountable for the harm caused to Arkansas children and seeks remedies, including injunctive relief, civil penalties, damages, restitution, and abatement. Griffin stated that Snap must answer for the permanent damage to Arkansas children and its responsibility for that damage will not fade away.
Original reporting: NEA Report (Jonesboro) — read the source article.
