Transcript for Families file lawsuit against Snapchat over drug delivery deaths
GUYS.
>> GOOD TIP THERE, REBECCA.
THANK YOU.
>>> NOW TO THE NEW LAWSUIT
AGAINST SNAPCHAT.
FAMILIES OF MORE THAN 50
OVERDOSE VICTIMS ACCUSED THE APP
OF ENABLING DRUG DEALERS.
WILL REEVE HAS THE DETAILS.
GOOD MORNING, WILL.
>> Reporter: THESE FAMILIES SAY
SNAPCHAT WAS THE TOOL DEALERS
USED TO CONNECT WITH THEIR
CHILDREN, SELL THEIR ILLICIT
DRUGS THEN LEAVE CLOSE TO NO
TRACE.
IN THE THROES OF THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC AND FENTANYL CRISIS,
THEY'RE DESPERATE FOR SOMETHING
TO BE DONE.
THIS MORNING, SNAPCHAT SUED BY
THE FAMILIES OF 50 VICTIMS OF
DRUG OVERDOSES ACCUSING THE
SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT OF ENABLING
DEALERS TO SELL FAKE
PRESCRIPTION PILLS LACED WITH
DEADLY DOSES OF FENTANYL TO
MINORS AND YOUNG ADULTS.
>> THEY ALL LOST A CHILD TO
FENTANYL POISONING THROUGH
COUNTERFEIT DRUGS OBTAINED
THROUGH SNAP, NOT THROUGH
INSTAGRAM, NOT THROUGH TIKTOK
BUT THROUGH SNAP.
THIS ISN'T AN INTERNET PROBLEM.
THIS ISN'T A SOCIAL MEDIA
PROBLEM.
THIS IS A SNAPCHAT PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE
LAWSUIT OBTAINED BY ABC NEWS,
FROM 2020 TO 2022, SNAPCHAT WAS
ALLEGEDLY A CONDUIT FOR OVER 75%
OF THE FENTANYL POISONING DEATHS
OF CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF
13 TO 18 WHO CONNECTED WITH A
DEALER OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
THE DEALERS SELLING WHAT THEY
SAY ARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BUT
ARE OFTEN COUNTERFEIT AND
CONTAIN LETHAL LEVELS OF
FENTANYL.
>> NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO GO
THROUGH THIS.
>> Reporter: FRAN HUMPHRIES SAYS
HER 20-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SOFIA
WAS SOLD FAKE PERCOCET PILLS IN
JUNE OF 2021.
TWO DAYS LATER SHE WAS FOUND
UNRESPONSIVE IN HER BED.
>> IMMEDIATELY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TOOK HER PHONE AND THE DETECTIVE
CALLED US SHORTLY AFTER AND SAID
THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT
SHE HAD PURCHASED IT FROM A
SNAPCHAT DEALER.
>> DOWNLOAD THE MOBILE APP.
>> Reporter: THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS
SNAPCHAT'S FEATURES INCLUDING
DISAPPEARING MESSAGES APPEAL TO
DRUG DEALERS MAKING THEIR
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY HARD TO TRACK.
IN A STATEMENT, SNAP INC.
STELLING ABC NEWS, IT CANNOT
COMMENT ON ACTIVE LITIGATION BUT
CLAIMING IT'S USING CUTTING-EDGE
TECHNOLOGY TO PROACTIVELY FIND
AND SHUT DOWN DRUG DEALERS'
ACCOUNTS AND IS CONTINUALLY
EXPANDING ITS SUPPORT FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS.
THE LAWYER FOR THESE FAMILIES
TELLS ABC NEWS SOME OF THE
CHANGES TO SNAPCHAT THEY'RE
SEEKING INCLUDE GETTING RID OF
THE DISAPPEARING MESSAGES
FEATURE, IMPROVING DETECTION OF
DRUG DEALERS AND PERMANENTLY
REMOVING THEM FROM THE APP AND
NOTIFYING PARENTS AND CHILDREN
OF WHAT HE TERMED THIS CLEAR AND
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.