New Mexico Attorney General Sues Snapchat Over Child Exploitation Concerns
According to KRQE, The New Mexico Attorney General is taking legal action against Snapchat, alleging that the app is contributing to the addiction of young users and exposing them to child sexual abuse material. The lawsuit follows an investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ), which created a fake Snapchat profile posing as a 14-year-old girl named Heather.
According to investigators, Snapchat’s algorithm quickly began suggesting inappropriate and sexually explicit adult content to the account. “That account was immediately engaged by a number of self-identified adults who expressed an interest in sexual images,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
The NMDOJ claims that Snapchat’s platform makes it alarmingly easy for minor accounts to be found by malicious users. Investigators discovered multiple profiles with usernames that explicitly welcomed minors willing to share images. “We have also found that Snapchat is a hub for individuals with a sexual interest in children, who are exchanging sexually explicit and exploitative materials. They are using the platform to target, groom, and identify potential victims,” Torrez explained.
The lawsuit further claims that Snapchat is the largest source of leaked sexually explicit videos and images involving minors.
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Attorney General Torrez aims to push Snapchat toward prioritizing the safety of its most vulnerable users. “We want these platforms to be designed with safety as the primary focus, especially for those who are most vulnerable, rather than treating it as an afterthought,” Torrez said.
In addition to this lawsuit, the NMDOJ is currently investigating other illegal activities on social media platforms, including the buying of illegal firearms and drug dealing. This lawsuit follows a similar legal action the department has filed against Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
