New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has launched a lawsuit against Snap Inc. following an undercover investigation, accusing it of creating a “breeding ground” for child sexual exploitation through its Snapchat app. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, alleges that Snapchat’s disappearing images and messages have facilitated predators in collecting sexually explicit images of children and using them for extortion.
According to the state, Snapchat has become the “predominant forum” for these “sextortion” schemes, largely because of its unique design features. The platform’s ephemeral messaging and other elements that connect users have created a “false sense of security,” making it easier for predators to target minors, the lawsuit argues.
The suit follows a months-long undercover investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice, which uncovered a “vast network” of dark websites that are sharing nonconsensual images from Snapchat. According to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office, the investigation found over 10,000 such records in the past year alone.
“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,” Attorney General Torrez said in a statement. […]
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