CITY OF SALT LAKE (News Dispatch in Utah) Snapchat is being sued by the state of Utah for features that it claims are intended to make kids addicted while also exposing them to predatory adults, illicit drug sales, and an artificial intelligence tool with recognized risks.
The well-known social media app is accused of breaking Utah’s Consumer Sales Practices and Consumer Privacy Acts in a complaint that was submitted to the 3rd District Court in Salt Lake County on Monday.
This is Utah’s most recent attempt to address the legitimacy of social media corporations’ interactions with children. Thus far, the state has brought four cases against significant social media firms, including comparable grievances against TikTok and Meta.
However, the parent company of Snapchat, Snap, is accusing the state of attempting to evade a court decision from last year that temporarily halted a Utah legislation that requires age verification for social media users. The business claims that while it is not opposed to stricter safety laws, Utah’s demands are unlawful.
Allegations of criminal activity and gambling-like features
State lawyers argue in the 90-page complaint that Snapchat contains gambling-like elements that encourage compulsive scrolling and continuous use, leaves kids open to exploitation, and deceives parents into believing the service is secure.
According to the lawsuit, there have been instances where My AI, Snapchat’s AI chatbot, has reportedly advised a 13-year-old account on how to prepare for a sexual encounter with a 31-year-old. Additionally, the attorney general’s office provides other instances of sex crimes and narcotics dealings employing Snapchat.
According to the complaint, Snapchat violated the state’s consumer sales practices legislation by intentionally adding and improving features that facilitate, enable, and encourage drug distribution and sexual exploitation.
The complaint claims that Snap includes features like push alerts, beauty filters, tailored algorithms, and the My AI chatbot that are intended to make kids addicted. According to the lawsuit, the business conceals or discourages features that would reduce the amount of time youth spend on the app.
According to the complaint, introducing the My AI function, which had known hazards to increase engagement and profit, is also illegal under the state’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, as is addicting minors and insuring their continuing addiction.
The state claims that by not giving users the option to opt out of having their sensitive data collected by Snapchat’s My AI function, the company is in violation of the Utah Consumer Privacy Act.
The lawsuit claims that Snap did not correct any of the infractions after being notified of them in a letter dated May 2025. In addition to ordering restitution and other civil penalties, Utah hopes that a court will compel Snap to abide by the rules it alleges the firm is breaking.
Utah is acting to safeguard our children in a world that is becoming more and more digital. Utah Governor Spencer Cox said in a statement on Monday that the lawsuit against Snap is about accountability and setting a clear precedent: our children’s welfare must come before corporate profits. We will not stand by and watch as internet companies take advantage of young people. It’s time for sensible safeguards that guarantee every child has a safer internet experience.
Snapchat says Utah is trying to circumvent a prior court ruling
According to a statement from Snap, the firm has always included privacy and safety protections into its service because it is dedicated to creating a fun and safe environment for its users.
A bill mandating social media sites to verify the age of their users was passed by Utah lawmakers around a year prior to the lawsuit. A judge temporarily stopped the law from taking effect in September when NetChoice, a trade group representing internet businesses like Google, Meta, and Snap, sued the state, claiming the measure violated the First Amendment.
Snap is now accusing the state of attempting to circumvent the court’s decision.
“The Utah Attorney General is using civil litigation as a way to get around the court and impose age verification requirements and age-related restrictions in ways that are unconstitutional because they are unable to accept the court’s rejection of the state’s legislation,” a company spokesperson said in an email.
Snap said that Utah’s action stifles free speech by enforcing technologically impractical and onerous policies.
According to the firm, the great majority of the billions of chats that occur on Snapchat every day are just for the purpose of connecting with friends and family. Snap stated that it supports measures to improve children’s online safety, such as the recently approved SB142, which mandates that the app stores like Google and Apple confirm a user’s age before allowing them to download anything.
Additionally, the business highlighted safety measures that require a Snapchat user to be friends with someone before they can contact with them, and that make teen accounts and friend lists private by default. Parents may see who their child is chatting to and who their friends are thanks to additional capabilities.
