Helping Survivors, Milberg Launch Effort to Pursue Claims Against Snapchat as Child Exploitation Cases Surge
Advocates warn that grooming and sextortion cases are surging—and many families may not realize the risk until it is too late
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping Survivors, in partnership with leading class action law firm Milberg, has launched an initiative to help families understand their legal rights and pursue claims against social media platform Snapchat (Snap Inc.) related to the sexual exploitation, grooming, and extortion of minors on the platform, as reports of online abuse continue to surge nationwide.
Recent data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children highlights the scale of the issue. In a matter of months, reports of online enticement surged from 292,951 to more than 518,000, while financial sextortion cases have increased over 50%—signaling a rapidly escalating and evolving threat. More than 500,000 online predators are active each day, with children as young as 8 having reported being groomed on social platforms, highlighting the scale and underscoring how early these interactions can begin.
"What we are seeing is not random," said Kathryn Kosmides, Survivor Advocate with Helping Survivors and Founder of Garbo. "Children and teens are often manipulated by individuals posing as other teens, with young boys being targeted at alarmingly high rates. There is often a pattern—initial contact, building trust, then manipulation and coercion. By the time a child or parent realizes something is wrong, the situation has often already escalated."
Against this backdrop, Snapchat and its parent company, Snap Inc., are now facing dozens of lawsuits nationwide alleging that the platform's design features may have contributed to child sexual exploitation not as isolated incidents, but as part of a repeatable pattern. Recent suits filed by state officials, including in Texas and New Mexico, further allege that the company failed to adequately warn families and address known risks.
"In many of these cases, people are left without clear answers because the evidence disappears so quickly and the individuals responsible may not be identifiable," said Marc Grossman, Senior Partner at Milberg. "Civil claims can provide a route forward by examining whether the platform itself failed to implement reasonable safeguards, and give families a clear path to accountability when those safeguards fall short."
Individuals or families who believe their child may have been groomed, exploited, or abused through Snapchat may have legal options—even if the identity of the perpetrator is unknown. To learn more and evaluate if a lawsuit is the right path for you or your family: https://helpingsurvivors.org/child-sexual-abuse/snapchat-lawsuit/
About Helping Survivors
Helping Survivors, in partnership with Milberg PLLC, is on a mission to help heal, educate, and empower people who have been impacted by sexual abuse, assault, or harassment. To date, we've helped over 3,000 sexual assault survivors find the resources and legal support they deserve. Our organization can connect you with an experienced sexual abuse attorney for a free, no-obligation case review, with no up-front costs. To learn more, visit our website at helpingsurvivors.org.
SOURCE Helping Survivors
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