Snap Inc. has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from New Mexico, which accuses the company of facilitating child sexual exploitation through its Snapchat platform. This lawsuit, initiated by Attorney General Raul Torrez in September 2024, claims that Snapchat's design features enable predators to connect with minors and perpetuate sextortion schemes. The state's investigation involved creating a decoy account for a fictitious 14-year-old girl, which allegedly received immediate friend suggestions from users with explicit usernames, raising serious concerns about the platform's safety measures and user protections.

In its defense, Snap argues that the allegations are "patently false," asserting that the decoy account actively sent out friend requests rather than being passively targeted by predators. Snap contends that the state misrepresented the investigation's findings and failed to acknowledge the proactive steps taken by the company to prevent such exploitation. The lawsuit also claims that Snap has not adequately warned users about the risks associated with sextortion on its platform, but Snap maintains that these claims infringe upon its First Amendment rights, as it cannot be compelled to make subjective disclosures about potential risks.

Furthermore, Snap's legal team emphasizes that the lawsuit violates Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from liability for user-generated content. The company asserts that it has made significant investments in enhancing safety features and increasing collaboration with law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation. Since 2020, Snap has reportedly doubled its trust and safety workforce and tripled its law enforcement operations team, demonstrating a commitment to user safety amidst growing scrutiny from regulators.

The New Mexico lawsuit is part of a broader trend among U.S. lawmakers aiming to hold tech companies accountable for child safety issues. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other major platforms like Meta and TikTok, reflecting increasing public concern about the potential harms posed to minors online. As these legal battles unfold, they could set significant precedents regarding the responsibilities of social media companies in protecting vulnerable users from exploitation and abuse.