SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has fired another salvo in its war on social media by filing suit against the internet platform Snapchat.
Filed in state court on June 30, the lawsuit alleged that Snapchat is designed to steal time and attention away from teens at the expense of their development, health and welfare.
“The well-bring of our children must come before corporate profits,” according to Gov. Spencer Cox. “We won’t sit back while tech companies exploit young users.”
The lawsuit — jointly announced by Cox, Attorney General Derek Brown and Margaret Busse, executive director of the Utah Department of Commerce – is the state’s fourth court action against a major social media company, including coordinated lawsuits filed against Meta and TikTok.
The court papers charge that Snapchat profits from “… unconscionable design features created to addict children to the app and facilitates illegal drug sales and sextortion.”
The Utah lawsuit also criticizes Snapchat’s artificial intelligence chatbot, My AI.
State officials contend that My AI was still experimental when it was released, lacking proper testing and safety protocols. The chatbot gives misleading and harmful advice to underage users, including how to hide alcohol and drugs or set the mood for a sexual experience with an adult.
“We will continued to do everything in our power to protect Utah kids from exploitation,” Brown explained.
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is already involved in legal action against Brown, however. On June 20, the internet app filed suit against Brown alleging that he has attempted to circumvent previous court rulings that limited enforcement of Utah social media laws.
Utah is not alone in its legal effort to throttle Snapchat.
The state of Florida is also involved in legal action against Snapchat over its 2024 law aimed at restricting minors’ access to the social media platform.
The Utah lawsuit aims to hold Snapchat accountable for its illicit business practices, which state officials say are akin to peddling digital nicotine to kids.
The Utah suit seeks a court-ordered penalty and other judicial relief by compelling Snapchat to prioritize the well-being of children over its profits.
“We are committed to enforcing the necessary protections and standing up against practices that endanger the mental and emotional well-being of young users,” Busse added.
While investigations into Snapchat are continuing, state officials said they are confident they will prevail in court against the social media platform.
“It’s time for commonsense protections that ensure a safer online experience for every minor,” Cox concluded.