West Virginia has filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., alleging the company deceptively marketed Snapchat as a safe platform for children while failing to protect users from sexual exploitation. The lawsuit was announced just one day before the first anniversary of Bryce Tate’s death, a teenager who was the target of sextortion via Snapchat. They have deceived West Virginia parents and children about the safety of Snapchat while exposing kids to sexual exploitation,
said West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey.
Lawsuit Alleges Snapchat Predator Caused Teenager's Death
The lawsuit alleges that Bryce Tate was 15 years old when a predator posing as a teenage girl contacted him on Snapchat last November. After he sent intimate photos, the person demanded $500 and threatened to share them. Adam Tate, Bryce’s father, stated that the predator sent about 120 messages in 20 minutes, and Bryce died by suicide that night. The state also references the 2018 passing of 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas, who was approached by an online predator on the social media app. The state is seeking civil penalties and court-ordered safety changes. The claims in the lawsuit have not been proven in court.
Announcement of the Shield Initiative
Tate joined McCuskey to announce the Shield Initiative, a three-part educational and prevention initiative designed to assist students in identifying and managing sextortion and online exploitation. The program advises users to: Stop—don’t comply and don’t panic; Screenshot—preserve the evidence; and Show someone—tell a trusted adult immediately. When kids know that they have somebody that they can turn to in a moment of panic, then we know we can save kids,
McCuskey said.
Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing online threats to kids. Today, AG McCuskey filed suit against Snap Inc., alleging Snapchat misled West Virginia families about child safety, including its “My AI” chatbot. pic.twitter.com/lXy92FPukk
Financial Sextortion Reports Rise as Parents Receive Advice
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported receiving more than 50,000 reports of financial sextortion in 2025, which translates to about 137 per day. The center also noted that at least three dozen teenage boys died by suicide after being targeted. Tate advised parents, Have this conversation with your kids, prior to them being targeted. Let them know if they make a simple mistake, it’s still safe to go to them. It’s not the time to ridicule them or punish them.
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