Is Snapchat My AI safe for kids?

What we found

Every claim is sourced and dated. If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will fix it.

1. e1Snap's Terms of Service state the services are not directed to children under 13, require users to confirm they are 13 or older, and commit to deleting the account and data of any user Snap has actual knowledge is under 13 (checked 2026-07-29).

   "Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and you must confirm that you are 13 years or older to create an account and use the Services. If we have actual knowledge that you are under the age of 13 (or the minimum age at which a person may use the Services in your state, province, or country without parental consent, if greater), we will cease providing the Services to you and delete your account and your data."

   https://www.snap.com/en-US/terms · captured 29 July 2026

2. e2Snap's My AI support page states content shared with My AI is used to provide responses, and that the data may also be used by Snap to improve its products and personalise the user's experience, including ads (checked 2026-07-29).

   "Content shared with My AI, including your location if you’ve shared that with Snapchat, will be used by My AI to provide relevant and useful responses to your requests, including nearby place recommendations. Your data may also be used by Snap to improve Snap’s products and personalize your experience, including ads."

   https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/13266788358932-What-is-My-AI-on-Snapchat-and-how-do-I-use-it · captured 29 July 2026

3. e3Snap's support page documents a 'Clear My AI Data' control under Settings > Privacy Controls for deleting data shared with My AI (checked 2026-07-29).

   "Tap your Profile icon and tap the gear ⚙️ to go to Settings Scroll down to "Privacy Controls" Tap 'Clear Data' Tap 'Clear My AI Data' and confirm"

   https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/13266788358932-What-is-My-AI-on-Snapchat-and-how-do-I-use-it · captured 29 July 2026

4. e4Snapchat's Family Center lets an enrolled parent toggle 'Disable My AI'; the support page states that when the setting is on, My AI will not store or process the teen's queries, nor reply to the teen's messages (checked 2026-07-29).

   "As a parent enrolled in Family Center, you can choose whether My AI replies to your teen. Follow the steps below if you want to disable My AI for your teen. Open Family Center Scroll to Settings at the bottom of the page, then tap to expand Turn on the toggle to Disable My AI When this setting is on, My AI will not store or process your teen’s queries, nor reply to your teen’s messages."

   https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/22628526282772-How-do-I-limit-my-teen-s-access-to-My-AI · captured 29 July 2026

5. e5Snap's 'Staying Safe with My AI' page states My AI was programmed to avoid violent, hateful or sexually explicit responses but 'may not always be successful', that drug keywords and slang are blocked, and that its Here For You mental-health resource tool appears in My AI chats (checked 2026-07-29).

   "While My AI was programmed to abide by certain guidelines so the information it provides is not harmful (including avoiding responses that are violent, hateful, sexually explicit, or otherwise dangerous; and avoiding perpetuating harmful biases), it may not always be successful. […] Blocking results for drug keywords and slang is also part of how we've customized My AI. [...] If Snapchatters search for a range of mental health issues anywhere on Snapchat, they will be served resources from expert organizations. This tool, called Here For You, will show up in chats with My AI."

   https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/13889139811860-Staying-Safe-with-My-AI · captured 29 July 2026

6. e6Snap states it implemented an age signal for My AI using a Snapchatter's birthdate, so the chatbot takes the user's age into consideration even if the user never states their age in conversation (published April 2023; checked 2026-07-29).

   "We have also implemented a new age signal for My AI utilizing a Snapchatter’s birthdate, so that even if a Snapchatter never tells My AI their age in a conversation, the chatbot will consistently take their age into consideration when engaging in conversation."

   https://values.snap.com/news/early-learnings-from-my-ai-and-new-safety-enhancements · captured 29 July 2026

7. e7Snap states that before Snapchatters can use My AI, an onboarding message makes clear that all messages with My AI are retained unless the user deletes them, and that conversation history is used to make My AI 'more fun, useful, and safer' (checked 2026-07-29).

   "since My AI is a chatbot and not a real friend, we have been deliberate in treating the associated data differently, because we are able to use the conversation history to continue to make My AI more fun, useful, and safer. Before Snapchatters are allowed to use My AI, we show them an onboarding message that makes clear that all messages with My AI will be retained unless you delete them."

   https://values.snap.com/news/early-learnings-from-my-ai-and-new-safety-enhancements · captured 29 July 2026

8. e8Documented recordThe UK ICO issued Snap a Preliminary Enforcement Notice on 6 October 2023 over the data-protection risk assessment of My AI; on 21 May 2024 the ICO concluded its investigation, satisfied that Snap had undertaken a risk assessment compliant with data protection law after significant remediation steps.

   "The investigation led to us issuing a Preliminary Enforcement Notice to Snap on 6 October 2023. Our investigation resulted in Snap taking significant steps to carry out a more thorough review of the risks posed by ‘My AI’ and demonstrate to us that it had implemented appropriate mitigations. We are satisfied that Snap has now undertaken a risk assessment relating to ‘My AI’ that is compliant with data protection law."

   https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/05/ico-warns-organisations-must-not-ignore-data-protection-risks-as-it-concludes-snap-my-ai-chatbot-investigation/ · captured 29 July 2026

9. e9Documented recordOn 16 January 2025 the FTC referred a complaint against Snap, Inc. to the US Department of Justice concerning My AI's deployment in Snapchat and 'the allegedly resulting risks and harms to young users', stating its investigation uncovered reason to believe Snap is violating or is about to violate the law.

   "The Federal Trade Commission has referred to the Department of Justice a complaint against Snap, Inc. The complaint pertains to the company’s deployment of an artificial intelligence powered chatbot, My AI, in its Snapchat application and the allegedly resulting risks and harms to young users of the application. [...] The investigation uncovered reason to believe Snap is violating or is about to violate the law and that a proceeding is in the public interest, so the Commission has voted to refer a complaint to the DOJ, according to the procedures outlined in the FTC Act."

   https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/commission-statement-snap.pdf · captured 29 July 2026

10. e10Documented recordOn 11 September 2025 the FTC issued 6(b) orders to seven consumer AI-chatbot companies, including Snap, Inc., seeking information on how they measure, test and monitor potentially negative impacts of the technology on children and teens.

    "The Federal Trade Commission is issuing orders to seven companies that provide consumer-facing AI-powered chatbots seeking information on how these firms measure, test, and monitor potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and teens. [...] The recipients include: Alphabet, Inc.; Character Technologies, Inc.; Instagram, LLC; Meta Platforms, Inc.; OpenAI OpCo, LLC; Snap, Inc.; and X.AI Corp."

    https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/09/ftc-launches-inquiry-ai-chatbots-acting-companions · captured 29 July 2026

11. e11Documented recordIn March 2023 The Washington Post reported that in its tests My AI advised a tester claiming to be 15 on masking the smell of alcohol, and gave a supposed 13-year-old advice about first-time sex with a 31-year-old, verifying a Center for Humane Technology test (via Internet Archive snapshot).

    "After I told My AI I was 15 and wanted to have an epic birthday party, it gave me advice on how to mask the smell of alcohol and pot. When I told it I had an essay due for school, it wrote it for me. In another conversation with a supposed 13-year-old, My AI even offered advice about having sex for the first time with a partner who is 31. “You could consider setting the mood with candles or music,” it told researchers in a test by the Center for Humane Technology I was able to verify."

    https://web.archive.org/web/20230716212256/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/14/snapchat-myai/ · captured 29 July 2026

12. e12Snap's My AI support page describes managing My AI in the Chat feed, including how to 'add My AI back to your Chat feed or how to unpin/remove it with Snapchat+', indicating default Chat-feed placement with removal referenced via the paid Snapchat+ tier (checked 2026-07-29).

    "Managing My AI - Learn how to do things like add My AI back to your Chat feed or how to unpin/remove it with Snapchat+."

    https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/13266788358932-What-is-My-AI-on-Snapchat-and-how-do-I-use-it · captured 29 July 2026

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