Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against Snapchat, alleging that the platform’s design and practices endanger children and mislead parents about the risks. The legal action aims to hold the company accountable for features that allegedly facilitate access by predators and promote addictive behavior among minors.

“We are deeply committed to protecting children and making Florida the safest state to raise a family,” said Uthmeier. “Snapchat misleads parents about the dangers their children face—from behavioral addiction to access by sexual predators and drug dealers. We won’t allow this deception to continue.”

Speaking at a press conference in Tampa on Tuesday, Uthmeier warned parents about the dangers of unmonitored internet access. He emphasized that Snapchat targets users as young as 13, enabling the sharing of messages and images that can disappear after viewing—features that can shield harmful interactions.

“They lure kids in, they deceive, they manipulate—and we’re not standing by. We’re going to hold them accountable,” Uthmeier declared.

The lawsuit argues that Snap, Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, is violating Florida law by incorporating addictive design features such as infinite scrolling, push notifications, and personal metrics. These align with concerns outlined in House Bill 3, which defines five mechanisms that encourage compulsive use—four of which Snapchat allegedly employs.

Joining Uthmeier at the press conference was Special Counsel Rita Peters, a veteran prosecutor of sex crimes and child exploitation. She noted that platforms like Snapchat allow predators to operate in secrecy, making them harder to catch.

Other alleged violations include exposing minors to explicit and harmful content such as profanity, sexual material, drug use, and mature themes.

A mother of six also spoke at the event, voicing her concerns about how social media apps are being used to exploit children. “It’s disgusting what we’re up against. It’s like an addiction,” she said.

Uthmeier concluded with a firm message: “We’re not letting anyone profit at the expense of our kids. We’re taking action to stop it.”

The lawsuit comes on the heels of another investigation launched last week into the online platform Roblox for potentially exposing children to harmful content.

You can read the full lawsuit here: https://tinyurl.com/24nz6qms

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(Image credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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