Snapchat Faces 10,000 Sextortion Reports — Why It’s a Dangerous Platform for Children

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc. On September 5, 2024, alleging that the company systemically failed to protect children from sextortion, sexual exploitation and other harms on its Snapchat platform.

The lawsuit, which has since been unsealed, reveals that Snap Inc. Received approximately 10,000 reports of sextortion each month from users as of late 2022, a figure the company acknowledged internally was only “a small fraction” of the actual abuse occurring on the platform.

Internal documents cited in the case show that Snap employees were aware of widespread sextortion, grooming, and sexual abuse occurring on Snapchat but failed to take adequate action to address the issue, despite repeated warning signs.

The unsealed complaint alleges that Snap’s design features and business models, combined with deliberate indifference from key executives, actively worked to connect minors with pedophile networks, conceal cases of child grooming, and facilitate the illegal sale of drugs and firearms.

Attorney General Torrez’s lawsuit is part of a broader legal scrutiny of Big Tech firms, with more than 600 lawsuits filed against Snap Inc. From 2022 through 2025 as part of multidistrict litigation and judicial council coordinated proceedings specifically naming the company as a defendant.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about child safety on social media platforms and underscores the need for stronger kids’ safety legislation to hold technology companies accountable for protecting young users.