Virgin Islands consumer protection officials have filed a 106-page civil lawsuit against Snap Inc., claiming the company deliberately built Snapchat in ways that endanger children through sexual exploitation, sextortion, drug trafficking and illegal firearms sales while employing features designed to foster compulsive use.
The complaint, lodged in V.I. Superior Court, charges Snap with unfair, deceptive and unconscionable business practices. Authorities contend that Snap markets Snapchat as safer than competing platforms despite knowing its architecture creates substantial risks to minors.
According to the government's filing, Snapchat's recommendation systems actively steer young users toward dangerous accounts and enable sextortion, child trafficking, narcotics distribution and gun trafficking. The lawsuit also alleges Snap failed to properly confirm user ages, allowing children under 13 to join by entering false birth dates.
Internal Snap communications referenced in the complaint show that by November 2022, the company was tracking roughly 10,000 monthly reports of sextortion from users. Officials argue that despite this knowledge, Snap prioritized user engagement and advertising profit ahead of child protection.
The case highlights several platform mechanics. Snap Streaks incentivise consecutive daily messaging, while trophies and charms reward ongoing activity, features the government characterises as encouraging compulsive behaviour. Data cited in the complaint shows average daily app opens climbed from around 18 times daily in 2017 to approximately 30 times daily by 2019.
Another focus is My AI, a chatbot Snap launched in 2023. Testing described in the lawsuit found the tool offering suggestions when a user posing as a 13-year-old discussed sexual activity with someone claiming to be 31, rather than flagging child-safety concerns. Additional testing revealed the chatbot dispensing problematic advice on alcohol, drug use and weight management.
Snapcash, a peer-to-peer payment tool introduced in 2014, also features in the complaint. Authorities allege it became a vehicle for purchasing private sexual material with minimal oversight. Snap shut down Snapcash in August 2018.
This action follows a December 2025 lawsuit by the same agency against Meta Platforms, alleging Facebook and Instagram subjected Virgin Islands users to fraud and exposed younger users to addictive design and sexual exploitation.
Snap has rolled out child-safety measures in recent years, beginning in 2023. Teen accounts now default to private, messaging is limited to mutual friends or existing contacts, and Family Center allows parents greater insight into teen communications. The company states it employs technology to detect harmful conduct and work with law enforcement.
Snap has contested comparable allegations in other jurisdictions, arguing Snapchat was built primarily for communication among real-world friends and family. In federal securities filings, the company has acknowledged facing multiple state attorney general lawsuits regarding child safety and stated it plans to defend itself vigorously.
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