July 29, 2025
SALT LAKE CITY, UT— Newly revealed information in Utah’s lawsuit against the popular app Snapchat exposes the disturbing extent to which Snapchat’s alleged practices directly harm Utah’s children. The Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection, represented by the Utah Office of the Attorney General, submitted the lawsuit against Snap, Inc. on June 30, 2025.
Significant portions of the state’s complaint are now unredacted, revealing new alarming details, such as:
- Snapchat’s Addiction Machine: Utah teenagers have spent nearly 8 billion minutes on Snapchat since 2020, and over half a million Utah users are active between 10 PM and 5 AM, according to an October 2023 report.
- “Reckless” AI Endangers Kids: Internal Snapchat senior engineering managers called the My AI chatbot rollout “reckless” due to insufficient testing. Employees warned it “hallucinates answers” and “can be tricked into saying just about anything,” a sentiment further validated by reports that My AI advised minors on hiding drugs or flirting with teachers.
- Undisclosed Data Sharing: My AI collects user geolocation data even when “Ghost Mode” is active, a fact not disclosed to users. Snap also shares private information, including My AI conversations, with third parties like OpenAI and Microsoft Advertising.
- A Haven for Predators & Dealers: Snap internally admitted being “over-run” with sexual extortion and that it “takes under a minute to use Snapchat to be in a position to purchase illegal and harmful substances.”
- 96% of Abuse Reports Ignored: Despite labeling it a “critical safety tool,” Snap’s in-app reporting feature had “significant gaps”, with over 96% of existing account reports not reviewed by the app’s Trust and Safety Team. One Snapchat account was reported 75 different times for mentioning “nudes, minors, and extortion”, and remained active for 10 months.
To read the full complaint, including newly unredacted details, visit https://tinyurl.com/dcpvsnapunredacted.
| The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is one of eleven agencies within the Utah Department of Commerce. Its mission is to strengthen trust in Utah’s commercial activities by protecting consumers through education and impartial enforcement. The Division administers more than 25 Utah state laws designed to protect consumers, including those related to telephone solicitations. The Division’s enforcement actions are supported and often represented by the Office of the Utah Attorney General, ensuring comprehensive measures to safeguard the rights and safety of consumers throughout Utah. The Division plays a vital role in safeguarding residents from unfair business practices and promoting a fair marketplace. Alongside the Office of the Attorney General, they are dedicated to ensuring that companies like Snap are held accountable for their actions, particularly when it affects vulnerable populations such as children. The unredacted content of the complaint sheds light on the troubling implications of Snapchat’s practices, marking a crucial step in addressing these serious allegations. For additional details or to file a complaint, please visit https://dcp.utah.gov/. |