Social media company accused of easing exploitation
The State of New Mexico’s lawsuit against the parent company of Snapchat over allegations of enabling child exploitation is gathering steam.
The lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez in September 2024, accuses Snap Inc., the parent company of social media platform Snapchat, of designing its platform in ways that expose children to harm.
According to the complaint, Snapchat features like disappearing messages, “Quick Add” and Snap Map create an environment where predators can easily contact and manipulate children. The Attorney General’s office also alleges that Snap failed to act on internal warnings from employees who raised concerns.
Snap continues to deny the allegations and has claimed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects internet platforms from being held liable for posts made by their users.
The company filed a motion to dismiss the case, but it was denied by a New Mexico district court in April. That decision allowed the case to proceed into the discovery phase.
The case is expected to intensify as the discovery process unfolds. Legal experts say the outcome could set important precedents for tech accountability and child safety regulation.
This report is supported by NM Political Report, a nonprofit newsroom working to increase New Mexicans’ engagement in politics and public policy.
Reported by: Josh Lee
This report is original reporting by a New Mexico-based independent journalist with support NMreports.org and its readers and sponsors.