The Heat is On is a new investigative series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with The Heat Initiative. Sarah Gardner, Founder and CEO of The Heat Initiative, joins Nicki (S2D) to expose the truth Big Tech doesn’t want you to hear – and our next episode is all about Snapchat.
In Part 1, we revealed how Snapchat built its empire by marketing a sexting app to kids, fueling addiction, exploitation, and harm.
Today, in Part 2, we uncover what happens inside Snapchat when employees raise the alarm. The truth: executives routinely dismiss internal warnings and ignore grieving parents. The company hides behind ineffective parental controls that almost no one uses: fewer than 1% of parents activate them. And it’s not because employees didn’t try. Internal emails show trust and safety staff had “little contact with upper management” and faced pushback whenever they proposed in-app safety features because CEO Evan Spiegel “prioritized design.
According to Snap’s own internal documents, proactively identifying and protecting minors from sexual content or predators would “overburden moderators,” “create disproportionate admin costs,” and should not be Snap’s responsibility.
Snapchat isn’t just failing to prevent harm; it resists cooperation even after tragedies occur. In this episode, you’ll hear how the company obstructs law enforcement and leaves devastated families without support.
This episode isn’t just about what Snapchat has done—it's about what they refuse to do, and what it will take to force change. Lawsuits and legislation matter, but real progress requires collective action and public pressure.
Here are three simple steps parents can take to demand child protections from Snapchat:
1. Join our email list for real-time actions you can take.
2. Set a family rule: no Snapchat for minors—and don’t use it yourself. So basically, no Snapchat ever.
3. Share what you learned with one friend or family member.
This episode was expertly edited by Jacob Meade.
Thank you to our incredible guests: