Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has filed a lawsuit against Snap, Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, alleging the social media platform misrepresented its safety to parents and consumers while exposing minors to inappropriate content and addictive product features.
The lawsuit contends that Snapchat marketed itself as safe for children, including maintaining a "12+" age rating in app stores despite allegedly exposing users to profanity, sexual content, nudity, and drug-related material.
The filing further alleges that Snap failed to warn parents about the risks associated with the platform.
According to the complaint, certain platform features, including "Snapstreaks" and other engagement incentives, are designed to encourage daily use and foster compulsive behavior among young users.
The state argues these design elements contribute to addictive usage patterns that may negatively affect minors.
"I will not allow Snapchat to harm our kids by running a business designed to get Texas children addicted to a platform filled with obscene and destructive content," said Paxton. "Parents have a fundamental right to know the dangers of the apps their kids are using and not be lied to by Big Tech companies. This lawsuit will hold Snapchat accountable for illegally undermining parental rights, deceiving consumers, and putting children in danger."
The legal action centers on alleged misrepresentations about age appropriateness and safety safeguards, as well as product design choices that the state contends prioritize user engagement over child protection.
The lawsuit against Snapchat is part of a broader series of enforcement actions by Paxton targeting major technology and social media companies. The attorney general's office has previously initiated legal action against platforms, including TikTok and Roblox, raising similar concerns about child safety, content moderation, and consumer protection.
The case adds to the ongoing national scrutiny of social media platforms over youth mental health, parental transparency, and platform design practices.
