Technology

Snap employees were well aware of the app’s child safety issues, newly unsealed complaint says

Published

1 year ago

October 1, 2024

Snap employees were well aware of the app’s child safety issues, newly unsealed complaint says

“By November 2022, Snap employees were discussing 10,000 user reports of sextortion each month, while acknowledging that these reports ‘likely represent a small fraction of this abuse’ given the shame and other barriers to reporting,” says a newly unsealed version of the lawsuit filed by New Mexico’s attorney general against Snap. This less-redacted version of the filing we first saw a month ago adds fresh details about what Snap employees allegedly knew about the scope of the sextortion issue it’s accused of facilitating on its platform.

In one alleged instance, employees referenced a case with 75 reports against it “mentioning nudes, minors, and extortion, yet the account was still active.” And in 2022, Snap’s internal research allegedly found that over a third of teen girls and 30 percent of teen boys on its app had been exposed “to unwanted contact on its platform.” the complaint says.

The new details paint a picture of a company aware of its alleged shortcomings when it came to protecting kids on its service, yet not sufficiently focused on fixing them. “Former Snap trust and safety employees complained that ‘they had little contact with upper management, compared to their work at other social media companies, and that there was pushback in trying to add in-app safety mechanisms because [Snap CEO] Evan Spiegel prioritized design,’” the complaint says.

“… there was pushback in trying to add in-app safety mechanisms because [Snap CEO] Evan Spiegel prioritized design”

In a statement posted to its newsroom, Snap said its app is designed “as a place to communicate with a close circle of friends, with built-in safety guardrails, and have made deliberate design choices to make it difficult for strangers to discover minors on our service. We continue to evolve our safety mechanisms and policies, from leveraging advanced technology to detect and block certain activity, to prohibiting friending from suspicious accounts, to working alongside law enforcement and government agencies, among so much more.”

According to the complaint, Snap employees circulated an external report in 2021 that included examples of alleged predators connecting with kids as young as eight through Snapchat and obtaining child sexual abuse material. But they feared measures to catch this kind of behavior would be unduly burdensome on user privacy and “create disproportionate admin costs,” the complaint alleges.

Employees also allegedly identified risks with certain Snapchat features, like Quick Add, which suggests other users to connect with. “We need to come up with new approaches that ringfence our most vulnerable users (minors) and make it harder for predatory users to find them via quick add, search, etc.,” an executive wrote, according to the complaint. “We believe we can achieve this without meaningfully degrading the product experience for these users if we pursue new strategies in inventory generation/constraints and other techniques to more effectively silo minors from people outside their networks.” Snap later made it so the Quick Add feature would only show up for 13 to 17-year-olds’ accounts when they had “a certain number of friends in common with that person.” But internally, the complaint says, employees recognized that the approach would still have significant shortcomings.

The unsealed complaint also includes more details on how Snap allegedly facilitated the illicit sale of guns. In one undated presentation, the company acknowledged that its platform sees “50 posts related to illegal gun sales per day and 9,000 views per day of these marketed weapons.” And even when content is reported, “[r]eported content is usually viewed hundreds of times before report.”

“Streaks make it impossible to unplug for even a day”

It also includes internal communications acknowledging the addictiveness of Snapstreaks, where users are told how many days they’ve continued communicating with another user. “Wow, we should have more addicting features like this,” one employee allegedly wrote, according to a January 2017 email. “Most streakers are our core demographic,” wrote another. An October 2019 presentation allegedly noted that “Streaks make it impossible to unplug for even a day.”

Technology

The latest iPad Air is $400 for the first time and arrives by Christmas

Published

8 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

The latest iPad Air is 0 for the first time and arrives by Christmas

If you have $400 and want an iPad, your options are usually kind of limited to either just the base iPad, or better yet, the latest iPad Mini — if it happens to be on sale when you’re shopping (it is now, but that’s not always the case). But right now, you should consider getting the 128GB version of Apple’s 11-inch iPad Air with the capable M3 processor. At Target, multiple colors of this model are $399.99, beating the previous low of $449.99 we’ve seen during large-scale deal events. Currently, no other retailer is matching this price. This sale ends Saturday night.

$400 is a sweet price for this model, as it debuted in early 2025 for $600. In terms of how it stacks up to other iPad models, Verge editor-at-large David Pierce said in his impressions that the M3 Air is “exactly what you think it is. Which is fine.” I know, that sounds like a back-handed compliment, but it’s been a while since iPads peaked in terms of utility, design, and fast performance. This one carries the torch in Apple’s tablet dominance, and its M3 processor means it’ll be a fantastic tablet for longer than any other iPad at the $400 price point. Read our in-depth impressions.

Other Verge-approved deals

Technology

Facebook settlement scam emails to avoid now

Published

9 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Facebook settlement scam emails to avoid now

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Millions of Facebook users filed claims in a recent privacy settlement after the platform was accused of mishandling user data. The approved payouts have been rolling out, which means people are watching their inboxes for updates. Scammers know this and are sending look-alike emails that push you to click a “Redeem Virtual Card” button. Arlene B emailed us to share what landed in her inbox.

“I received an email stating that it was from (Facebook User Privacy Settlement Administrator) and that I needed to click on the button below to “Redeem Virtual Card.” Do you know if this is a scam or not?”

Her question shows how convincing these fake messages appear. A real settlement did happen, and people have been getting payments. Still, criminals are now piggybacking on the rollout with messages that look official but lead to dangerous sites that steal your information. Let’s walk through how to tell real emails from fake ones.

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NEW SCAM SENDS FAKE MICROSOFT 365 LOGIN PAGES

Scammers send fake settlement emails that mimic the real payout notices to trick you into clicking. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to check if your Facebook settlement email is legitimate

Scammers rely on confusion and urgency. These steps help you confirm the message before you click anything.

Confirm the sender’s address

Real settlement emails come from facebookuserprivacysettlement@notifications.kroll.com. Kroll is the official administrator.

Look for your claimant ID

Real notices include your unique claimant ID and reference the claim you filed last year. Fake emails skip this personalized detail.

Check where the link leads

Real payout links go to DigitalPay / Veritas or domains tied to krollsettlementadministration. If the link points to a strange or shortened URL, it is likely unsafe.

Watch for common red flags

Pressure to act right away. Clumsy wording or spelling mistakes. A button that goes to a suspicious URL. You never filed a claim in the first place. Any sender address that is not the official Kroll domain.

Remember that you are not required to click anything

If your claim was approved, you have already received a legitimate notice. Emails that say you must “redeem” again or “confirm” payment are signs of a scam.

GEEK SQUAD SCAM EMAIL: HOW TO SPOT AND STOP IT

A quick hover over the “Redeem Virtual Card” button often reveals a suspicious link that gives the scam away. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why scammers target large settlements

Whenever a major payout occurs, criminals blend in with legitimate messages because people expect money and may open emails quickly. When fake notices look similar to real ones, it only takes one careless click for scammers to grab your data.

DON’T FALL FOR FAKE SETTLEMENT SITES THAT STEAL YOUR DATA

A person logging onto Facebook (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Ways to stay safe from settlement scams

Use these simple habits to protect yourself from Facebook settlement scams and any future payout scam.

1) Verify the sender every time

Look at the full address. Scammers often change one character in hopes you will not notice.

2) Hover over links before tapping

Check the destination without clicking. A strange URL is your warning sign.

3) Never share sensitive information through email

Real administrators do not ask for banking info or logins.

4) Use a data removal service

Data brokers often collect your email address, phone number and other personal details that scammers use to target victims. A data removal service can pull you out of those databases, which reduces the amount of scam email that reaches you in the first place.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

5) Go directly to the official settlement site

Type in the address yourself instead of using a link from an email.

6) Use strong antivirus software

Good security software blocks dangerous links and pages. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

7) Delete emails that push urgency

Scammers want fast reactions. Slow down and confirm details.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Facebook settlement payout created the perfect moment for scammers to slip fake messages into inboxes. Once you know the signs, it becomes much easier to separate real notices from dangerous ones. Stay alert, trust your instincts and verify before you click.

Would you open a payout email if you were not expecting money in the first place? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The first Dolby FlexConnect soundbar is coming from LG

Published

20 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

The first Dolby FlexConnect soundbar is coming from LG

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology debuted this year with the TCL Z100 speakers, and now we’re getting our first FlexConnect soundbar thanks to LG. The new H7 soundbar — which runs on the same Alpha 11 Gen 3 chip as LG’s OLEDs and new Micro RGB LED — is a part of the LG Sound Suite, a modular home audio system the company will debut at CES 2026. In addition to the soundbar, the Sound Suite will include the M5 and M7 surround speakers and the W7 subwoofer. All of the speakers feature Peerless Audio components.

The two main drawbacks of TCL’s Dolby FlexConnect implementation were the limitation of only allowing four connected speakers, including a sub, and the need for a 2025 QM series TCL TV. So you needed to pick between better sound coverage with a fourth speaker or more bass performance with a sub. LG’s Sound Suite, on the other hand, will allow you to connect the soundbar with up to four surround speakers and a subwoofer for a potential 13.1.7-channel system.

And while the speakers can be used with a compatible LG TV (including the 2026 premium LG TV lineup and 2025’s C5 and G5 OLEDs), it isn’t required. It’s possible to use the H7 soundbar with any TV — or without — and have it act as what’s called the lead device to connect the surround speakers and sub. LG says there are 27 different speaker configurations possible, from using two speakers as a stereo pair up to the full system with soundbar, surrounds, and sub.

In my experience with the TCL Z100, calibrating FlexConnect speakers to your space is also fast. Once they’re in place and plugged in, a short musical clip is played for a few seconds and then setup is complete. The system is able to know where the speakers are placed and how to optimize the surround and Atmos sound for your room. With other room correction software, the process can take much longer, requiring taking sound readings from multiple locations in the room.

LG is using ultra-wideband technology to adjust the sweet spot based on your listening position that it’s calling Sound Follow. What will be interesting to see with the LG Sound Suite’s Dolby FlexConnect implementation is how customizable it is after setup (for instance, adjusting subwoofer levels).

I’ll be hearing the system at CES and plan on reviewing the system when it’s available to see how well the technology translates into a home.