• The Florida lawsuit claims Snap’s features addict children and violate state law.
• Snap is accused of hosting accounts for children aged 13 and younger without proper consent.
• Florida Attorney General emphasizes serious risks related to Snapchat's design features.

Florida has initiated legal action against Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, accusing it of employing features that are harmful and addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, claims that the app's infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, push notifications, and interactive metrics violate a state law designed to protect children, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. This law aims to prevent compulsive social media exposure among minors, particularly focusing on users aged 13 and younger, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The lawsuit underscores Snap's potential deception towards parents, as it continues to market Snapchat as safe for users 13 and older. The complaint highlights that the app can facilitate access to harmful content, such as pornography and drugs, hence raising significant concerns about its impact on young users. Uthmeier's office noted that Snap has been aware of its obligations under Florida law but continues to permit accounts for children under 14 without parental consent, according to The Hill.

In response to these allegations, Snap has argued that the Florida law infringes upon the First Amendment rights of users and does not effectively address age verification issues. The company stated that there are "more privacy-conscious solutions" that could be implemented at various technology levels, including operating systems and app stores, rather than placing the burden solely on social media platforms. Notably, technology industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association are concurrently challenging the law's constitutionality in federal court, aiming to address these significant free speech implications, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.