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By Janice Robinson-Celeste

Your child opens Snapchat, and the first thing at the top of their chats may not be a friend. It may be Snapchat My AI, a chatbot the state of West Virginia now says was launched to young users without adequate safety testing.

That is an allegation, not a court finding. The lawsuit raises practical questions for parents about location, privacy, supervision, and what children should do if someone online threatens them.

Quick Review

• West Virginia sued Snap Inc. on November 5, 2026, alleging deceptive safety claims and inadequate safeguards for children using Snapchat and My AI.
• The claims about Snap’s internal practices, location access, and data sharing come from the state’s complaint. No court has ruled on them.
• Parents can use Family Center to check for My AI interactions and disable the chatbot, but they cannot read their teen’s chat content.
• Talk through the Shield Initiative’s three steps: Stop, Screenshot, Show Someone.
• Make sure your child knows they can come to you without being blamed or punished.

What The West Virginia Lawsuit Alleges

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey filed the case in Kanawha County Circuit Court under the state’s Consumer Credit and Protection Act. The lawsuit alleges Snap marketed Snapchat as safe for children while knowing young users faced risks including sexual exploitation, and that My AI was released without adequate safety testing.

The Attorney General’s announcement and reporting by WV News describe allegations drawn from the complaint. These claims remain unproven. Snap has not publicly responded and, as of November 12, 2026, has not yet answered in court.

Among other claims, the complaint alleges that Snap knew grooming was prominent on the platform by June 2022. It says 96.7% of reported accounts did not lead to review as of May 2022. It also alleges that in April 2021, 86.3% of sexual content flagged by Snap’s own systems expired before anyone reviewed it, and that all trafficking content flagged by those systems in the second half of 2020 expired before review.

The lawsuit alleges 96.7% of reported Snapchat accounts led to no review at all.

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These figures are claims by the state, not findings that a court has verified. Bloomberg Law’s report also describes the filing as part of broader legal scrutiny of Snap’s safety practices.

The complaint further alleges that My AI, powered by OpenAI’s GPT technology, became available to all users, including children, on April 19, 2023, after first being offered to Snapchat+ subscribers. The state says the chatbot may receive a user’s location even when Ghost Mode is enabled, and that conversations may be shared with OpenAI and Microsoft Advertising. These are allegations in the complaint, not established facts.

The state also points to limits on parent oversight. The complaint quotes Snap CEO Evan Spiegel describing Family Center’s goal as “to give the parent visibility but not necessarily control,” and alleges that a proposed parental privacy-control option was removed. Family Center also requires a teen’s cooperation to set up.

The Human Cost And The Shield Initiative

The lawsuit was filed one day before the first anniversary of Bryce Tate’s death. According to the complaint, the 15-year-old Nitro High School honors student was contacted by someone posing as a 17-year-old girl, then blackmailed for $500. Bryce died about three hours after the first contact.

His father, Adam Tate, has spoken publicly to help protect other families. “Not only did I lose my son in a matter of three hours from being targeted just on Snapchat,” he said. He also said, “There’s a reason as to why these criminals choose this platform to target our children, and that’s because there aren’t enough safety guardrails in place.”

The complaint also refers to Cimarron Thomas, a 12-year-old from Bruceton Mills who died in 2018 after being targeted through Snapchat by UK predator Alexander McCartney. Their families’ advocacy underscores why clear, usable guidance matters. The focus now is on helping children get support quickly, without shame or blame.

Alongside the lawsuit, McCuskey and the Bryce Tate Memorial Foundation announced the Shield Initiative, a statewide school education campaign funded with consumer education money from earlier Meta and Roblox settlements. Its three steps are simple:

1. Stop: Do not comply with the demand.
2. Screenshot: Preserve the evidence.
3. Show Someone: Tell a trusted adult right away.

Adam Tate has emphasized that families should have this conversation before a child is targeted. McCuskey’s message is equally important: “your child hasn’t done anything wrong. The person threatening your child has broken the law. You deserve help.”

What Parents Can Do About Snapchat My AI Today

You do not have to wait for a lawsuit to be resolved to review your family’s settings. Think of this as a practical check-in with your teen, not a confrontation.

1. Check Family Center. Snapchat says parents enrolled in Family Center can see whether their teen has interacted with My AI and can turn on a setting to disable it. When disabled, My AI will not reply to the teen or store or process their queries, according to Snapchat’s support instructions. Parents cannot read the content of their teen’s My AI conversations. Set up Family Center together, since the teen’s cooperation is required.

2. Review location settings. The lawsuit alleges that location shared with Snapchat may reach My AI even when Ghost Mode is on. Consider turning off location sharing in Snapchat’s settings, rather than relying on Ghost Mode alone. Check the phone’s location permissions too, and talk with your teen about which app features may depend on location access.

3. Make the three S’s familiar. Tell your child: do not comply with a threat, save relevant evidence, and come to a trusted adult. Be explicit that they will not be in trouble for asking for help. For more guidance on where parental controls can help and where they may have limits, see SCN’s guide to parental controls and child safety.

4. Ask about privacy, not just screen time. A useful conversation includes what your child shares with a chatbot, who might process those conversations, and why an AI response should not be treated as private or as advice from a trusted adult. For another perspective on AI in young people’s lives, read SCN’s guide to AI on school Chromebooks.

If your child is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. If they are experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Report suspected child sexual exploitation to local law enforcement and the NCMEC CyberTipline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Parents Turn Off My AI On Snapchat?

Yes. A parent enrolled in Family Center can enable the option to disable My AI for their teen. Snapchat says it will then stop replying and will not store or process the teen’s queries. Parents cannot read the conversations, and Family Center must be set up with the teen’s cooperation.

Does Ghost Mode Hide A Child’s Location From My AI?

The West Virginia lawsuit alleges that location shared with Snapchat may still be shared with My AI even when Ghost Mode is on. This has not been proven in court. Review Snapchat’s location controls and your phone’s app permissions rather than relying on one setting alone.

Is This A Class Action Families Can Join?

No. The case is a state enforcement lawsuit brought by West Virginia, not a class action. Families do not need to file a claim to join it.

Has Snap Responded To The Lawsuit?

As of November 12, 2026, Snap has not publicly responded and has not yet answered in court, according to the information reviewed for this article. The allegations have not been decided by a judge.

What Is The Shield Initiative?

The Shield Initiative is a statewide school education campaign announced by McCuskey and the Bryce Tate Memorial Foundation. It teaches young people to Stop, Screenshot, and Show Someone if they face sextortion or a similar online threat.

Have you checked your child’s Snapchat settings or talked through the three S’s together? Share your questions or experience in the comments.

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