Pennsylvania sues Snapchat over addictive features and misleading safety claims

Pennsylvania attorney general Dave Sunday sued Snap on Tuesday, accusing the company of designing Snapchat to keep young users compulsively engaged whilst misleading parents about safety and age-appropriate content. The lawsuit targets features including Snapstreaks, infinite scrolling, push notifications, autoplay, and disappearing messages. Pennsylvania alleges these features encourage extended use to generate advertising revenue whilst exposing minors to potential harms. The state claims Snapchat has millions of users in Pennsylvania, including tens of thousands under 16. Snap’s North American operations generated more than $5.3 billion in revenue in 2024. Pennsylvania accuses Snap of misleading consumers about content available to minors. A state investigator created an account using a 13-year-old’s birthday and found it could access content containing profanity, drug and alcohol references, and sexual material. Snap disputed the allegations, stating Snapchat “was designed differently from the beginning” and emphasising its commitment to teen safety. Source: foxbusiness.com
Read More