ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A popular social media app knew about the dangers young people on its platform were exposed to and failed to take action, according to a newly unredacted complaint filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez against Snapchat. The NMDOJ originally filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc. on Sept. 4, but a […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A popular social media app knew about the dangers young people on its platform were exposed to and failed to take action, according to a newly unredacted complaint filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez against Snapchat.
The NMDOJ originally filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc. on Sept. 4, but a newly filed, unredacted complaint reveals new details in the lawsuit.
“This latest filing demonstrates that Snapchat, not unlike Meta, has known for a very long time number one that they have underaged users on the platform. And number two, that those minors are routinely inundated with solicitations for inappropriate content,” said Torrez.
According to the complaint, international communications show employees discussed 10,000 reports of sextortion a month, noting the actual number of abuse is likely more. Also, according to the complaint, employees didn’t want to warn users about the dangers because they didn’t want to “strike fear” among young users. The lawsuit also cites an account that received 75 separate reports against it for inappropriate conduct and is still active. The safety concerns online lead to safety concerns in real life.
“This is actually a primary method for somebody who is interested in targeting, grooming, and victimizing children in real life,” said Torrez.
The complaint pulls the example of Alejandro Marquez, who in 2023 pled guilty in New Mexico to raping an 11-year-old girl he met through Snapchat’s “quick add” feature. News 13 also followed the local case of Jeremy Guthrie, who was found guilty of nine counts of rape for having an ongoing sexual relationship with a 12-year-old girl he met on Snapchat.
The lawsuit also claims the platform facilitates child exploitation and trafficking, as well as the illegal sale of guns and drugs to minors.
The NMDOJ has a list of resources for teens and parents to protect themselves from the threats posed by social media platforms. Resources can be found here.