SnapChat

Snapchat’s parent company has settled a civil lawsuit shortly before it was due to start in California, but other large tech companies still face a trial under the case. Snap’s chief executive, Evan Spiegel, had been due to testify in a tech addiction lawsuit which also involves the Instagram owner, Meta; ByteDance’s TikTok; and Alphabet-owned YouTube – which have not settled. Snap told the BBC the parties were “pleased to have been able to resolve this matter in an amicable manner”. The Snapchat parent was among those being sued by a plaintiff named K.G.M, a 19-year-old woman who alleges that she developed mental health problems after becoming addicted to social media apps. The California case is the first of three “bellwether” trials consolidating thousands of lawsuits. Last year a Los Angeles judge ruled that the platforms’ design features may be responsible for harm – and not just the third-party content posted on sites and apps. Historically, tech firms have turned to section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law underpinning US internet regulation that exempts platforms from legal liability for content generated by its users, as part of their legal defence. The first bellwether case is still due to

Jake Richards was 17 at the time of the offence, which happened after he and the girl exchanged messages on Snapchat before meeting in person. Swansea Crown Court heard the victim thought they were going to talk as they walked to a secluded tunnel — but Richards initiated sex and continued even after she repeatedly told him to stop. The girl reported what happened in August 2024 after confiding in a friend. Police launched a detailed investigation involving forensic and digital evidence, which led to Richards being charged with rape. He later pleaded guilty. He was sentenced today (Wednesday, January 21) to three years and six months in a young offender’s institution. Police praise victim’s bravery Detective Sergeant Carl Pocock of Dyfed‑Powys Police said the victim had shown “remarkable courage” in coming forward. He said officers carried out a thorough investigation, with DNA and digital evidence helping secure an early guilty plea and sparing the girl the trauma of a trial. DS Pocock added that the case highlighted the importance of talking to young people about online safety, the law around consent, and what to do if someone continues sexual activity without consent. He said specialist officers would “listen to

The auto purchase process is moving online at an unprecedented pace, with social platforms playing a central role in how vehicles are discovered, evaluated and bought, according to new global research from Snap, Havas Media Network and Alter Agents. The study surveyed more than 5,000 social media users who recently purchased a car or are currently shopping. It found that nine in 10 shoppers use digital sources during their purchase journey, and younger buyers are leading the shift toward fully online transactions. Half of Gen Z respondents said their most recent car purchase was completed entirely online, marking a significant departure from traditional dealership-first experiences. “Digital innovation has gone further than many expected, providing customers with the information they need,” said Michelle LeFevere, vertical lead for auto and travel at Snapchat. “It’s the scale at which these trends are accelerating that really surprised me.” Social media now influences core decisions, with 67 per cent of car buyers using social platforms during their search. That rises to 74 per cent among Gen Z. Snapchat users are 1.7 times more likely than non-users to purchase a vehicle after seeing it on social media. Creators also play a growing role: 69 per cent

It seems like some Snapchat users are running into a frustrating roadblock when trying to back up their Memories. Multiple reports on Reddit describe the same problem: requesting a data download through the “My Data” feature, only to receive a file labeled “empty export” instead of their photos and videos. The issue appears to have surfaced in recent days. One user posted on r/SnapchatHelp explaining they tried every combination possible when selecting data to include. They attempted exporting just Memories, Memories with JSON files, Memories with chat history, and even all three options together. Each attempt resulted in the same “empty export” message. Users claim that they are following Snapchat’s official process correctly. They’re logging in through desktop browsers (Chrome, Safari, and others), selecting their preferred data options, waiting for the email confirmation, and then clicking the download link. But when they open the file, there’s nothing inside. Another thread from two days ago shows users experiencing identical problems. One commenter tried downloading through both Chrome and Safari on their laptop, hoping switching browsers might help. It didn’t. They mentioned there’s no clear way to even contact Snapchat support about the issue. This is confusing some users because they say

Manitoba · CBC Investigates Manitoba RCMP are investigating after a seven-year-old girl was coerced into sending nude photos to a man over Snapchat, as experts and police warn of a growing trend of children under 13 being sexually exploited through social media. Police, experts warn growing number of kids under 13 being sexually being exploited online Listen to this article Estimated 6 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Police say they found explicit conversations over Snapchat between a man from the United Kingdom and a seven-year-old Manitoba girl, as well as images and video shared between the two. (Richard Drew/The Associated Press) Manitoba RCMP are investigating after a seven-year-old girl was coerced into sending nude photos to a man over Snapchat — an example of what experts and police warn is a growing trend of children under 13 being sexually exploited through social media. The images and videos being sent through the online messaging app were discovered after the girl's mother went into the child's room. The girl quickly put down a cellphone when her mother came in

CBC Mon, January 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. UTC Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Manitoba RCMP investigated a case in which a seven-year-old girl was coerced into sending nude photos to a man over Snapchat. Experts and police warn there's a growing trend of children under 13 being sexually exploited through social media.

Rachel Mountain 18 January 2026 Shutterstock/Solar 760L Foto Everything we covered on IAM over the last seven days – and all you need to know from the global IP market to set yourself up for the start of another busy week.  MONDAY 12 JANUARY  Data dive: Masimo makes biggest splash in Q4 top jury verdicts China’s Supreme Court confirms jurisdiction over Access Advance abuse of dominance case  Trump reveals nominees for Austin, Waco judgeships TUESDAY 13 JANUARY UPC Court of Appeal blocks access to pleading documents for sharing via platform Data dive: Qualcomm, Apple, Dell represent US innovation as Asian firms dominate 2025 US patent grants Trade secrets: Costly procedural flaws trigger retrial of $2 billion trade secret case  Bayer and mNG Bio launch wave of new covid vaccine patent suits WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY Albright grants BMW’s antisuit injunction against Onesta IP Litigation Insider: Innovation or bust for Netlist’s VP of IP strategy Nokia strikes SnapChat deal, inks two other new video patent licences THURSDAY 15 JANUARY Patent transactions: NPEs feature prominently among buyers of US patents in December  Practice tips to seek patent term adjustment in Canada  Trade secrets: Tangibly and SIM IP team up on trade secret litigation

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