Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., parent company of Snapchat. The suit accuses Snap of deliberately designing its platform to be addictive for children and teenagers.
The lawsuit was filed under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. It alleges features like disappearing messages and Snapstreaks create dangerous feedback loops. These loops expose minors to harm.
The lawsuit claims these design choices facilitate serious risks. These risks include sextortion, predatory grooming, violent content exposure, and illegal drug exposure.
The suit further alleges Snap has not implemented effective age verification. This allows children to easily bypass the 13-year-old age minimum.
Arkansas seeks injunctive relief, civil penalties, and damages. The state argues Snap created a public nuisance. It also argues Snap was unjustly enriched at the expense of children's well-being.