Pennsylvania sues Snapchat over addictive design and child safety
Pennsylvania's Attorney General sued Snap Inc. in August 2026, alleging that Snapchat's features like Snapstreaks and infinite scrolling are deliberately designed to make young users compulsively engaged while the company misled parents about child safety. The state claims the company prioritizes advertising revenue over the mental wellness of minors.
What happened
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., parent company of Snapchat, on August 25, 2026, alleging the company designed features to keep young users compulsively engaged while misleading parents about safety and age-appropriate content.
The lawsuit targets features including Snapstreaks, infinite scrolling, push notifications, autoplay and disappearing messages. Snapchat has millions of users in Pennsylvania including tens of thousands under 16, according to the complaint.
Reported impact
Pennsylvania alleges that Snapchat's features encourage young people to spend more time on the app to generate advertising revenue while exposing minors to potential harms.
According to Attorney General Sunday, the Snapstreak feature exploits social acceptance pressures on young teens, putting a tangible value on friendships and influencing feelings of self-worth.
Governance controls
Snap disputed the allegations, stating through a spokesperson that the lawsuit 'fundamentally misrepresent[s] our platform and our approach to teen safety' and expressing disappointment that the Attorney General chose litigation rather than working collaboratively toward child protection.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.