Tweakers · Technologie

Foundation Sues Snapchat for Addictive Design and Lack of Safety

The Dutch Foundation for Mass Damage & Consumer has filed a collective lawsuit against Snapchat, on behalf of six million users. The foundation accuses the app of an addictive design and insufficient safety, particularly for children.

According to the foundation, Snapchat generates billions by holding users' attention with addictive features such as 'streaks', autoplay, and disappearing content. The company deliberately targets young users, who are more vulnerable, and does not adequately control their age.

The foundation further states that Snapchat is used for grooming, child abuse, criminal recruitment of minors, and the sale of drugs and vapes. The company also allegedly collects and sells user data on a large scale to advertisers.

Attempts to engage in dialogue with Snap yielded nothing, according to the foundation. Therefore, the foundation presents four demands to the court: users must be able to disable addictive features, Snap must more effectively check ages and act against illegal content, and users must receive fair compensation for exposure to the addictive design. The foundation hopes to claim 500 to 2500 euros per user.

Snapchat responds that it is committed to a safe environment and that it offers the option to take breaks from 'streaks'. The company also states that it does everything to keep dealers out.

This is the second collective lawsuit against Snapchat in a short period in the Netherlands; earlier, the Foundation for Market Information Research started a similar case.

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