Pennsylvania sues Snap Inc. over Snapchat addiction risks

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, alleging the platform is designed to encourage compulsive use among children and adolescents.

The 49-page complaint, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, claims Snapchat uses features like “snapstreaks,” push notifications, infinite scrolling, and autoplay to lure young users into addictive patterns. The lawsuit also asserts that the app’s ephemeral nature—where content disappears after a short period—creates a false sense of security that may embolden predators and lead minors to share content they believe is temporary but can be captured via screenshots.

Furthermore, the legal action alleges that Snap Inc. has been dishonest regarding the prevalence of adult-themed material, including sexual content, drug use, and suicidal ideation, on its platform. The Attorney General is seeking an overhaul of how the app is marketed and advertised, as well as design changes to discourage compulsive use and implement better safeguards for families.