New Mexico sues Snapchat over alleged child exploitation and abuse

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

NEW MEXICO HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST SNAPCHAT, ACCUSING THE PLATFORM OF FACILITATING CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL.

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAÚL TORREZ FILED THE LAWSUIT AGAINST SNAP INC. IN STATE COURT – AFTER AN UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION — ALLEGING THAT SNAPCHAT’S DESIGN AND POLICIES ENABLE EXPLOITATION.

“SNAPCHAT IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR PREDATORS TO COLLECT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES OF CHILDREN AND TO FIND, GROOM, AND EXTORT THEM,” THE LAWSUIT STATES. 

THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS SNAPCHAT’S ALGORITHIMS FACILITATE CHILD TRAFFICKING, DRUG SALES, AND FIREARMS DISTRIBUTION, IN ADDITION TO SEXUAL ABUSE. 

ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT, SNAPCHAT LEADS ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN REPORTED ONLINE SEXUAL INTERACTIONS INVOLVING MINORS AND RECRUITMENT OF SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS.

THE INVESTIGATION FOUND MORE THAN 10,000 RECORDS RELATED TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL IN JUST ONE YEAR, INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT ASSAULTS ON MINORS UNDER 13. 

INVESTIGATORS also DISCOVERED SNAPCHAT ACCOUNTS OPENLY CIRCULATING AND SELLING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES DIRECTLY ON THE PLATFORM.

THE CASE BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE PERVASIVE ISSUE OF SEXUAL EXTORTION, OR ‘SEXTORTION,’ WHERE VICTIMS ARE COERCED INTO SHARING EXPLICIT PHOTOS AND THEN BLACKMAILED.

THE LEGAL ACTION FOLLOWS A SIMILAR LAWSUIT FILED BY TORREZ AGAINST META LAST DECEMBER, INDICATING AN INTENSIFYING FOCUS ON HOLDING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ACCOUNTABLE FOR USER SAFETY.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.