JOSH’S NOTE:  The following blog post is going to contain some language that may be offensive to some. Please know that it is only included for the sake of passing along the appropriate information. If you feel that you may be offended you might want to pass on this blog post.

Since its inception, Snapchat has gone through many great changes for users  as well as some done for the sake of increasing revenue. Once such feature is the “Discover” area where users can look into trending topics like the recent Pokemon Go craze or taking a walk down the red carpet. Recently, a number of topics showing up have been a little bit more off color than should be made available the Snapchat’s rated audience of “Teens.”

Attorney Mark Geragos has taken notice of this issue and has taken action by filing a class action lawsuit against the company for allegedly exposing children to “sexually explicit” content through the Discover Tab.

Geragos is seeking a $50,000 payout for each alleged violation of the Communications Decency Act of 1996.

HISTORY LESSON! The Communications Decency Act of 1996 was the government’s attempt to regulate pornography on the internet. More through the link.

Geragos is claiming that Snapchat has violated this act through allowing content such as “I Got High, Blown and Robbed When I Was a Pizza Delivery Guy,” “What It Is Really Like to Let People Finger You in Public” and a BuzzFeed post entitled “23 Pictures That Are Too Real If You’ve Ever Had Sex With a Penis.”

Geragos is also requesting that the courts require that Snapchat warn users of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) or inappropriate content.

Snapchat is also facing suit in the state of Illinois over face-scanning technology which one man claims is in violation of the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act. More on both stories to follow as they develop.

Another recent lawsuit saw the app developers being sued when a speeding teenager was in a near-fatal accident while trying to snap a high MPH filter.

For parents I recommend keeping an eye on the content your kids are being exposed to through their favorite apps and setting expectations for their use of them.

Josh Gunderson is an award-winning Bullying Prevention and Social Media Specialist. Josh has appeared on MTV, Comedy and National Geographic. For more information about Josh and his educational programs please visit www.HaveYouMetJosh.com

You can purchase Josh’s book “Cyberbullying: Perpetrators, Bystanders & Victims” on Amazon! Available in paperback or for Kindle.