Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Derek Brown, along with the state Department of Commerce, filed the lawsuit June 30, claiming Snap profits from app features designed to be addictive to children, and facilitates illegal drug sales and sextortion.
The suit brings three counts against the social media brand including that “Snap publicly positioned itself as a safe alternative to traditional social media while deceiving users and their parents about the platform's safety and the resources Snap committed to protecting them.”
In statement, Snap Inc. said, "Snap has no higher priority than the safety of Snapchatters. We are committed to making Snapchat a safe and fun environment for our community, and have built privacy and safety features into our service from the start."
The state also alleges that Snap is violating the Utah Consumer Privacy Act by not informing consumers about its data collection and processing practices.
It includes claims related to the app’s AI chatbot, My AI, and comes as states confront the possible impacts of AI technology on children.
This is the fourth lawsuit initiated by Utah’s AG and consumer protection division against a major social media company including coordinated lawsuits filed against Meta and TikTok.
