SnapChat

For many of us, Snapchat was once the social media app: easy, popular and playful. It was a place to send silly selfies, share quick updates and connect with friends in a way that felt immediate and intimate. In the past decade, the platform that taught Gen Z to value the moment has changed as much as the people who grew up with it. What began as a simple photo-messaging service now stores billions of photos and videos — a digital scrapbook for a generation raised online  Now, that scrapbook comes with a price tag.  In late 2025, Snapchat capped free storage for “Memories,” the feature that allows users to save snapchats and stories within the app. Users now receive only five gigabytes of free storage. Anything beyond that requires payment through new storage plans, with 100-gigabyte options starting at a monthly fee of $1.99 and larger amounts tied to subscription tiers that get up to $15.99 per month.  Suddenly, something many users treated as a free, personal time capsule carries an actual cost.  For those who have used Snapchat since high school or earlier, “Memories are” more than a cloud folder. They document friendships, milestones and ordinary days that

AI chatbot companions are becoming a part of everyday life for many children and teens, often without parents realizing how deeply these tools are shaping their emotional world. Unlike traditional AI programs, chatbot companions are designed to simulate friendship, understanding, and emotional support. They are built to feel personal, responsive, and available at all times. As their use grows, researchers, parents, and regulators are raising serious concerns about how these products affect young users’ mental health, behavior, and decision-making. For families already worried about changes in their child’s mood, relationships, or well-being, understanding how AI chatbot companions work and the risks they pose is an important step toward protecting children from preventable harm. What Are AI Chatbot Companions? AI chatbot companions are conversational systems designed to engage users in ongoing, emotionally responsive interactions. Unlike task-based AI tools that help with homework, scheduling, or research, chatbot companions are built to feel relational. They may present themselves as friends, confidants, or supportive figures who appear to listen, remember past conversations, and adapt their responses to the user. These systems often encourage children and teens to share personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Over time, young users may begin to view the chatbot as

A courtroom at the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. Photo courtesy U.S. District Court Scott Cunha, a 26-year-old Brookline resident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week on charges that he enticed children to send him sexual images over Snapchat.  Cunha, who formerly worked for the town of Brookline as a lifeguard and swim coach, was charged last January and pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children in October 2025.  On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Myong Joun sentenced him to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Federal prosecutors said that Cunha used Snapchat to communicate with multiple minors between the ages of 13 and 16 starting in at least 2022.  “He enticed the children to take nude images and videos of themselves and send them to him over Snapchat, often in exchange for the promise or actual transfer of money or gifts,” the Department of Justice said in a press release announcing the sentencing. “Cunha also tried to persuade his minor victims to meet him in person for sex acts by offering to pay them money in exchange for doing so.”  Cunha allegedly met at least one minor in

Parth Samthaan | Image: X TV actor Parth Samthaan has warned his fans about a fake Snapchat handle pretending to be him. On Monday, he posted a screenshot of the profile on his Instagram Stories and clarified that the account is not his. Seher Hone Ko Hai actor went on social media after he found a fake Snapchat account pretending to be him and contacting young women. Parth posted a screenshot of the account on his Instagram Story and warned his followers about the impersonation. He wrote, “This person is impersonating me." He also claimed, “This person is impersonating me and asking girls for inappropriate snaps through video calls." Urging people to act quickly, the actor added, “Pls report this Snapchat account and block it asap!" Parth Samthaan began his career with appearances in episodic series such as Life OK's Savdhaan India, MTV India’s Webbed, Bindass’s Yeh Hai Aashiqui, and Zing’s Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. He gained widespread recognition for playing Manik Malhotra in Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan and Anurag Basu in Kasautii Zindagii Kay. Last year, he attracted heavy criticism when he took on the role of ACP Pradyuman in CID, a character that Shivaji Satam had famously portrayed for

Kaodi O’Loughlin Campbell has been banned from classrooms after admitting 'unacceptable professional conduct' A Birmingham primary school teacher who sent inappropriate Snapchat messages to a pupil she met at another school has been struck off. Kaodi O’Loughlin Campbell worked at Ferndale Primary School in Great Barr. But would also work at Elmwood School, a special secondary school for children with social, emotional and mental health needs, in Rushall, Walsall, as a supply teacher between September 2021 and May 2022. Read more: Birmingham teacher who kept secret love letters from pupil avoids ban There, Ms O’Loughlin Campbell met a vulnerable pupil at the school and concerns were raised about social media contact between the two of them in January and May 2023. That contact was considered by The Teaching Regulation Authority’s professional conduct panel meeting in January this year, with its report published in February. The report reveals the teacher was asked about the messages with a boy, but she did not disclose anything. But then, in October that year, the boy spoke out about the contact on Snapchat, and had screenshots of what had been said. Ms O’Loughlin Campbell had sent the boy her contact details and they became friends

Jason Squibb groomed his victim by offering to supply her with alcohol A man has been jailed after pleading guilty to sexual activity with a teenage girl. Jason Squibb, 25, formerly of Westfield Road, Yeovil, used social media platform Snapchat to message his victim, grooming her with the promise of buying her alcohol, a court heard. Squibb intentionally engaged in sexual activity with the victim, who he knew was not over the legal age of 16, in October 2021. Speaking after the sentencing, the victim's mother said her daughter's life had "changed forever" as a result of the assault, adding that she had since lived with "profound trauma". "However, this sentencing is not about him, it is about the power of finding one's voice," she continued. "Even at her young age, she understands that other girls have endured the same pain and carried the same unnecessary shame. "Her message to them is clear: You do not have to live in silence." More from Somerset Squibb was jailed for two years and eight months, as well as ordered to register as a sex offender, at Taunton Crown Court on 30 January. The victim's mother continued: "Sometimes, bad things happen to good

A group holds hands outside a landmark trial over whether social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children, in Los Angeles, U.S., Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo) Addiction to social media has been likened to that of casinos, opioids and cigarettes. While there's some debate among experts about the line between overuse and addiction, and whether social media can cause the latter, there is no doubt that many people feel like they can't escape the pull of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms. The companies that designed your favorite apps have an incentive to keep you glued to them so they can serve up ads that make them billions of dollars in revenue. Resisting the pull of the endless scroll, the dopamine hits from short-form videos and the ego boost and validation that come from likes and positive interactions, can seem like an unfair fight. For some people, "rage-bait," gloomy news and arguing with internet strangers also have an irresistible draw. Much of the concern around social media addiction has focused on children. But adults are also susceptible to using social media so much that it starts affecting their day-to-day lives. Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and the medical director

The suspect allegedly drove to Two Harbors on two occasions after first chatting with the girl on the messaging app. iStockphoto TWO HARBORS — An Iron Range man is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl who he met on Snapchat. Tyler Jason Edmundson, 22, of Virginia, allegedly traveled to Two Harbors to meet the victim on two occasions after adding her on the messaging app in October. He is charged in State District Court with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the criminal complaint: A forensic interview with the girl was conducted at First Witness Child Advocacy Center in Duluth on Oct. 20, after the Two Harbors Police Department received a report about the incident. Tyler Jason Edmundson. Contributed / Lake County Jail The victim said “a guy named Tyler” had traveled to meet her and her friend a few weeks earlier. They rode around in his truck for a while and eventually dropped the friend off. The girl said they stopped at a parking lot in Two Harbors and she could tell the man wanted to do “something” to her. They went on to engage in sexual intercourse in the vehicle. She reported the second

The day's major News events, business reports, sports updates, Rochester area weather information and tomorrow's forecast are presented by the News10NBC Team. CORNING, N.Y. — Two men faced charges for allegedly exploiting a 15-year-old girl from Steuben County online. State police said William Kibler of Corning exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with the girl on Instagram and Snapchat. Jacob Hanes of California was also involved, officials said. Kibler was arrested last week, while Hanes was taken into custody in December in Niagara County. The investigation is ongoing. For Related Stories: child exploitation  steuben county

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