Florida's Attorney General announces lawsuit against Snapchat
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a lawsuit against Snapchat, based on their dangerous practices, to protect children from predators
During a press conference in Tampa on Tuesday, the AG urged parents to monitor their children's internet access, as Snapchat is advertising to children as young as 13. Children could receive photos, messages and other graphic information on the app, where messages and photos can disappear.
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'They're deceptive, they lure people in, they prey upon them, they try to set up meetings, they ask for photos,' the attorney general said. 'And we're not gonna tolerate that. We're gonna hold these people accountable.'
AG Uthmeier was joined by Special Counsel to the Attorney General Rita Peters, who has been prosecuting sex crimes and child exploitation for the past 26 years. She said apps like Snapchat allow predators to target children and fly under the radar, making it more difficult to be caught.
A mother of six spoke out during the news conference, saying predators extort children on apps like Snapchat.
'It disgusts me what we deal with. It's an addiction,' the mother said when referencing children wanting to download these apps.
'We're not gonna let people cash in on our kids,' AG Uthmeier added. 'We're going to be putting these bad guys away.'
According to the attorney general, Snapchat is breaking the law by trying to make the application more addictive. He also alluded to House Bill 3, which prohibits children at a certain age from having access to these platforms.
Last week, the attorney general launched an investigation into Roblox over concerning reports that the online platform may be exposing children to harmful and graphic material.
WFLA.com live streamed the press conference, which can be viewed in the video player above.
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