Snapchat facing legal action over explicit content

Social media messaging app Snapchat is to contest legal action brought against them in the United States which argues that their content is too explicit for minors.

The class action suit, which means the original suit will open up to others affected in similar circumstances, was filed by a 14-year-old in Los Angeles only known as "John Doe" due to state laws protecting minors.

"Millions of parents in the United States today are unaware that Snapchat is curating and publishing this profoundly sexual and offensive content to their children," reads the lawsuit.

The Discovery section of the app allows users to pick up on news from media outlets such as the Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, and Vice. The case against Snapchat cites various stories of a sexual and sensitive nature which should not be made available to those under a certain age.

The app responded briefly to the accusations by saying that they "are sorry if people were offended," a spokesman wrote in an email. "Our Discover partners have editorial independence, which is something that we support."

The debate rests on whether the app is considered to be first and foremost a social media network, in which people and companies hold their own independence over what they publish, or whether there is a clear collaboration between the company and their media partners.

Snapchat is highly popular with teenagers, and the law firm carrying the case says that this provides an obligation of tailoring it so that explicit content does not appear.

"When you target minors the way Snapchat does, you have certain obligations to children and parents when you open the door to this exclusive club that's curated by Snapchat," said Ben Meiselas, a lawyer for Geragos and Geragos, who spoke to the BBC.

"It's not an attack that could be enjoyed by an adult audience. This isn't attacking content providers, it's not attacking the freedom of the press."