Category: CNN Regional

By Francis Page Jr.

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    July 27, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — HOUSTON, TEXAS — The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee today released final attendance, transportation, public safety and operational data following the conclusion of Houston’s service as an official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host City.

The final numbers confirm that more than one million participants attended FIFA World Cup-related matches, celebrations and community activities across the Houston region during the tournament.

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Final Tournament Metrics 1,086,499 participants attended FIFA World Cup 2026™ events in Houston.

480,186 fans attended seven FIFA World Cup™ matches at Houston Stadium, averaging 68,598 spectators per match.

81% of ticket buyers traveled from outside the Houston area.

44% of ticket buyers were international visitors, the largest audience segment.

Ticket buyers represented all 50 states and more than 200 countries.

551,313 people attended FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston and the Houston Dynamo Soccer Celebration.

Approximately 55,000 supporters participated in official Fan Walks.

More than 10,000 media credentials were issued for Houston Stadium and FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston.

4,190 volunteers supported tournament operations.

27 goals were scored during Houston’s seven matches, tying Houston for the most goals of any Host City.

The top five countries represented among ticket buyers were:

The top five countries represented among ticket buyers were:

Mexico

Canada

Germany

Brazil

Portugal

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 was the greatest sporting event ever staged, and we are proud to have been part of this historic moment,” said Chris Canetti, President of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee. “As a Host City, we were operationally sound and perfectly safe while delivering unbelievable moments, unforgettable memories and the best of times. The World Cup elevated and impacted Houston in ways unlike anything else can do.”

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Attendance Across Official FIFA World Cup™ Events Houston welcomed 480,186 fans across seven matches at Houston Stadium.

Match Attendance Germany vs. Curaçao — 68,021

Portugal vs. Democratic Republic of Congo — 68,777

Netherlands vs. Sweden — 68,777

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan — 68,777

Saudi Arabia vs. Cabo Verde — 68,278

Brazil vs. Japan — 68,777

Morocco vs. Canada — 68,777

FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston consistently exceeded attendance projections throughout its 39-day run. The festival welcomed supporters from around the world with live match broadcasts, concerts, cultural programming, sponsor activations and community events.

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The five highest-attended festival days welcomed:

24,407 attendees

23,616 attendees

21,970 attendees

21,689 attendees

20,847 attendees

Memorable Match Activity at Houston Stadium Houston Stadium hosted seven matches that produced 27 goals and welcomed some of the tournament’s largest and most passionate crowds.

Match Results Germany defeated Curaçao, 7-1.

Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo drew, 1-1.

The Netherlands defeated Sweden, 5-1.

Portugal defeated Uzbekistan, 5-0.

Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde drew, 0-0.

Brazil defeated Japan, 2-1.

Morocco defeated Canada, 3-0.

Houston’s matches featured several historic tournament moments, including Curaçao scoring its first FIFA World Cup™ goal, Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the first player to score in six FIFA World Cup™ tournaments, Brazil securing a dramatic late Round of 32 victory over Japan and Morocco facing Canada in Houston’s concluding Round of 16 match.

Fan Walks Become a Houston Tradition Official Fan Walks emerged as one of Houston’s signature FIFA World Cup™ traditions.

An estimated 55,000 supporters participated in organized marches throughout the tournament, creating colorful processions from East Downtown to Houston Stadium and showcasing the pride, passion and culture of soccer supporters from around the world.

The Netherlands supporters’ march was among the tournament’s largest. Thousands of fans representing Portugal, Uzbekistan, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, Canada and other participating nations transformed Houston streets into international celebrations of football and culture.

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Economic and Community Impact Nearly one million visitors traveled to East Downtown during the tournament.

Visitor traffic increased by more than 225% compared with 2025 and approximately 280% compared with 2024. Every bar, restaurant and bakery surrounding FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston experienced year-over-year visitor growth, ranging from 33% to 1,600%.

The five highest visitation days in East Downtown were:

July 5 — 78,000 visitors during the Brazil vs. Norway and Mexico vs. England matches

June 30 — 77,000 visitors during the Mexico vs. Ecuador match

June 18 — 64,000 visitors during the Mexico vs. South Korea match

June 24 — 58,500 visitors during the Mexico vs. Czechia match

June 27 — 49,000 visitors during the Colombia vs. Portugal match

photo Transportation Operations Houston’s transportation network successfully connected Houston Stadium, FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston, East Downtown, downtown hotels and entertainment districts throughout the tournament.

Approximately 5.5 million METRO rides were recorded from June 12 through July 8. Across Houston’s seven matchdays, METRORail carried approximately 500,000 riders, representing nearly a 50% increase over normal daily ridership.

“The transportation performance throughout the tournament reflects years of planning and exceptional coordination among METRO, FIFA, Houston Stadium operators, law enforcement and numerous public partners,” said John Coppins, Vice President of Operations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee. “Successfully moving hundreds of thousands of visitors across multiple venues while maintaining safe and efficient operations is one of Houston’s greatest accomplishments from this tournament.”

Airport Operations George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport welcomed approximately 4.5 million passengers from June 12 through July 6.

From June 12 through July 3, U.S. Customs and Border Protection processed more than 439,000 international passengers arriving through Houston’s two major airports. International arrivals increased by more than 2% year over year.

Bush Intercontinental Airport handled 60 World Cup-related charter flights. Those flights included 30 team charters serving 13 national teams and 30 additional charter flights carrying more than 5,800 passengers.

The heightened travel period concluded without any major security incidents, underscoring the effectiveness of coordinated planning among airport officials, federal partners and local agencies.

The successful execution of airport operations complemented Houston’s broader FIFA World Cup 2026™ strategy, which prioritized public safety, efficient mobility and seamless coordination across official venues.

Downtown Houston Impact and Legacy Downtown Houston served as the heart of the city’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ experience, connecting supporters with public transportation, hotels, restaurants, businesses, cultural attractions and entertainment destinations.

Several major infrastructure improvements were completed in advance of the tournament, including the $17 million Main Street Promenade, Cool & Connected Corridor enhancements along Texas Avenue and the “Underpassage” public-art lighting installations connecting Downtown and East Downtown at Rusk Street and Texas Avenue.

Although these projects were part of Downtown Houston’s long-term development vision, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ provided added momentum to complete the improvements before hundreds of thousands of visitors and a global audience arrived.

Businesses along Main Street and the METRORail corridors linking FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston and Houston Stadium benefited from enhanced streetscapes, widened pedestrian areas, new trees, landscaping and shade structures. These investments will continue serving Houston residents and visitors for years to come.

From the beginning of the tournament through the end of June, Downtown Houston recorded 1.47 million visits from more than 933,000 unique visitors. The district averaged approximately 113,000 visits per day, 6.2% above its daily average during the previous 12 months.

Street-level activity increased even more significantly. Pedestrian counts rose 48.1% during the tournament and 53.7% on matchdays compared with pre-tournament levels.

The tournament showcased Downtown Houston as a premier destination for major international events and reinforced the value of continued investment in public spaces, mobility, hospitality and cultural amenities.

Public Safety and Medical Operations More than one million attendees participated in official FIFA World Cup 2026™ events in Houston with minimal public safety and medical incidents.

Law enforcement agencies reported very few arrests across official venues, resulting in an arrest rate of less than 0.002%.

Heat-mitigation plans also performed successfully. Emergency-room transports represented less than 0.007% of total attendance.

“The success of the FIFA World Cup 2026 reflects what is possible when our region unites behind a common purpose,” said Ryan Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation. “Houston and Harris County once again demonstrated our ability to host the world’s biggest events at the highest level.

“Thanks to our world-class sports venues, transportation and public safety operations, regional partnerships and extraordinary volunteers, this tournament delivered lasting benefits to our community. The investments and legacy created through this event will continue creating opportunities and reinforcing our region as a premier destination for global sporting events.”

“FIFA World Cup 2026 gave Houston a unique opportunity to showcase our city to the world, and Houston exceeded every expectation,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. “The success belongs to the thousands of public servants, volunteers, businesses and community partners who came together to welcome visitors with the hospitality and determination that define Houston.

“While the tournament has come to an end, the improvements will continue benefiting Houstonians and visitors for years to come.”

About the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee, operating under the Sports Authority Foundation, collaborates with FIFA, the City of Houston, Harris County and community stakeholders to ensure a world-class experience for players, fans and visitors.

Alongside its stakeholders, the Host Committee oversees operations, safety, transportation and logistics surrounding Houston’s seven FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches and FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston in East Downtown.

A central commitment of the Host Committee is creating a legacy beyond the tournament through initiatives that advance human rights, sustainability and the growth of soccer.

Learn more at fwc26houston.com

photo About the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation The Harris County–Houston Sports Authority was founded in 1997 and is responsible for servicing the debt associated with the world-class sports facilities it was created to build and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

In support of its core mission, the Sports Authority works to attract major sporting events to Houston and promote the region as a destination for sports-related activities. These efforts contribute to economic development, improve residents’ quality of life and reinforce Houston and Harris County as a premier destination for marquee sporting events.

The Sports Authority Foundation, the organization’s 501(c)(3) arm, manages community-engagement and legacy programs associated with major events, including FIFA World Cup 2026™ activities in Houston through Impact Houston 26.

Learn more at:

houstonsports.org

sportsauthorityfoundation.org

fwc26houston.com

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

By Francis Page Jr.

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    July 27, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — On National Lasagna Day, Houston does not have to choose between an Italian classic and Southern comfort. Mikki’s Soul Food Cafe has already settled that delicious debate with its scratch-made ‘Houston Style’ beef lasagna—a generous, cheese-pulled, sauce-rich favorite served every Tuesday and Thursday.

National Lasagna Day arrives Wednesday, July 29, giving Houstonians a timely excuse to loosen a belt notch and celebrate one of America’s most beloved layered dishes. At Mikki’s, however, lasagna is more than a calendar-day craving. It is a family inheritance, a weekly ritual and another flavorful chapter in a Houston business built by the late Jeanette Williams and now carried forward by her children, Jeanelle Williams and Craig Joseph Jr.

photo Fueled by her entrepreneurial spirit, Jeanette set out on a journey to establish Mikki’s Cafe Soul Food & Catering at 10500 W.Bellfort St

About 26 years ago, Jeanette transformed a home-catering venture into Mikki’s Soul Food Restaurant and Catering on West Bellfort Strret. Her cooking, entrepreneurial courage and welcoming spirit helped establish the restaurant as a southwest Houston landmark. Today, the company describes Craig Jr. and Jeanelle as its “new legacy owners”—a fitting title for siblings charged with protecting treasured recipes while preparing the brand for another generation.

photo Mikki’s legacy owners Craig Jr. and Jeanelle proudly carry forward their mother Jeanette Williams vision

That balance is the secret ingredient in Mikki’s continued appeal. The menu does not chase every passing food trend. It knows what it is: soulful, hearty, familiar and proudly Houston.

The restaurant’s lasagna layers seasoned ground beef, rich tomato sauce and melted cheeses into a Southern-style interpretation of the classic. It is listed among Mikki’s Tuesday-and-Thursday specialties and is served with a side—because in Houston, even lasagna should not have to dine alone.

Call it Italian architecture with a Texas foundation. The pasta provides the structure, the meat sauce brings the muscle, and the cheese holds the family meeting together.

Yet what makes the dish ‘Houston Style’ is not simply an extra scoop or a heavier hand. It is the cultural confidence to take a familiar recipe and serve it through the lens of a city where culinary traditions constantly meet, mingle and make something new.

Mikki’s broader menu follows the same philosophy. Oxtails, smothered chicken, turkey wings, fried catfish, collard greens, candied yams, baked macaroni and cheese, cornbread dressing and the signature Soul Food Bowl keep the serving line looking like Sunday dinner decided to open seven days a week.

Recent coverage of the Third Ward location described lunchtime crowds stretching toward the door—a strong reminder that nostalgia still has plenty of purchasing power when the food delivers.

The next-generation story is also unfolding geographically. In addition to its longtime southwest Houston restaurant and Pearland location, Mikki’s now serves the historic Third Ward at 2712 Blodgett Street.

The family expanded into that storied soul-food address after This Is It Soul Food ended its run there in 2025, keeping a meaningful Houston dining space connected to Black family enterprise, hospitality and culinary tradition.

Three locations now give diners several ways to join the family table: 10500 W. Bellfort Avenue, Suite 100, in southwest Houston; 2712 Blodgett Street in Third Ward; and 9603 Broadway Street, Suite 108, in Pearland. Current posted hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, although holiday diners should confirm before visiting.

Still, legacy at Mikki’s is measured by more than locations or full dining rooms. According to the family, community care remains part of the business recipe, with Mikki’s supporting families, children and senior citizens in need throughout the year.

That service reflects an old-school understanding of neighborhood leadership: a successful restaurant should not merely feed customers; it should help nourish the community that keeps its doors open.

Mikki’s motto is “Where You Can Taste the Love!” It may sound like a warm slogan, but after decades of scratch-made cooking, family succession and community service, it also reads like a business plan. Love shows up in consistency. Love remembers who taught the recipe. Love welcomes the next generation without erasing the first.

So, on July 29—or the nearest Tuesday or Thursday—Houston diners can celebrate National Lasagna Day with a plate that carries more than noodles, meat and cheese. Mikki’s ‘Houston Style’ lasagna carries Jeanette Williams’ vision, her children’s stewardship and the unmistakable flavor of a city that knows how to honor history while serving the future hot.

That is not simply lasagna.

That is legacy by the layer.

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Visit Mikki’s Soul Food Cafe

Southwest Houston 10500 W. Bellfort Avenue, Suite 100 Houston, Texas 77031 281-568-5115 Third Ward 2712 Blodgett Street Houston, Texas 77004 713-485-4850 Pearland 9603 Broadway Street, Suite 108 Pearland, Texas 77584 281-919-1506

Visit the Mikki’s Website for more information at: mikkiscafe.com

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

By Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

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    IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — More than 80 years after World War II turned the United States and Japan into bitter enemies, teenagers from a small Japanese village are spending the next 10 days in Idaho Falls — a living reminder of how friendship can outlast history.

Youth delegates from Tokai-Mura, Japan, arrived in Idaho Falls on Thursday for a Sister Cities exchange. During the trip, the delegation — which consists of 15 students between 12 and 18, and three adult chaperones — will be introduced to the people, places and experiences that make eastern Idaho unique.

On Friday, the students met with Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw and visited the Idaho Falls Police Department Complex. They also saw the Sister Cities display at the Idaho Falls Public Library and visited the Idaho Falls Zoo, Funland and indoor pickleball courts at Tautphaus Park.

Host families are providing a living space for the students as they visit a wide range of local attractions and activities. Their itinerary includes visits to Island Park and Yellowstone National Park, the Idaho National Lab, Museum of Idaho, and local schools, including College of Eastern Idaho. They will also attend the War Bonnet Round Up rodeo and spend a day at Lagoon.

The city has had an ongoing relationship with the eastern Japanese village since 1981.

The Sister Cities program was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to promote peace, cultural understanding, educational exchanges, and economic cooperation. The five-star general — who was given unprecedented command of all allied forces during World War II — believed that personal connections between ordinary citizens could help prevent future conflicts.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States into World War II and resulted in many Americans feeling racial animosity towards those of Japanese descent.

Months later, on Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order authorizing the U.S. military to gather up 120,000 people of Japanese descent, even those who were American citizens, and place them in concentration camps scattered throughout the U.S.

More than 10,000 Japanese Americans were housed at the Minidoka War Relocation Center in Jerome County between 1942 and 1945. It’s now recognized as a national historic site.

On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. James Doolittle of the United States Air Force led a B-25 air raid over Tokyo. America’s initial retaliation against the Japanese killed 50 people and caused only minor damage, but it did much to boost morale for U.S. forces.

The Japanese later launched thousands of balloons armed with incendiary bombs designed to terrorize America in the waning days of World War II. The plot ultimately failed. Of the 9,000 balloons that were launched, only about 1,000 made it to North America, one of which landed in Rigby.

A Rigby Star article, written the day before the U.S. bombed Japan, referred to the East Asian country as a “bastard nation” that “must be reduced to zero and closely watched for many years.”

The following month, in May of 1942, then-Idaho Gov. Chase Clark, who was from Idaho Falls, made a disparaging remark about the Japanese while speaking at a Lion’s Club meeting in Grangeville.

“Japs live like rats, breed like rats and act like rats. We don’t want them permanently located in our state,” Clark is reported to have said.

Clark said “the Jap problem” could best be solved by returning all people of Japanese descent to Japan and “then sink the island.”

Clark, who supported the relocation of Japanese people to the Minidoka camp, lost the election later that year but was later appointed as a federal district judge and presided over the Nisei Trials in Idaho. This was a case involving 37 Japanese-American men who were incarcerated at the Minidoka War Relocation Center and later defied draft orders. President Harry Truman pardoned them in 1947.

Clark reportedly apologized for his disparaging statement years later. His grandson, Chase Church, believes it was the reason he was not re-elected for a second term.

There was a fairly large population of Japanese Americans in Idaho Falls as WWII was raging, and although the hostilities toward them weren’t as bad as other places, they still had curfews and other travel restrictions imposed on them.

The war came to an end in 1945 after the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, but American hostility towards the Japanese remained. It would be more than three decades before FDR’s executive order was officially rescinded. Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act in 1988, calling the order a “grave injustice” to Japanese Americans. Around $1.6 billion in reparations were given to “formerly interned Japanese Americans or their heirs,” one article reports.

“We must recognize that the internment of Japanese Americans was … a mistake,” President Ronald Reagan said in a 1988 speech. “Throughout the war, Japanese Americans in the tens of thousands remained utterly loyal to the United States.”

Today, a Day of Remembrance revolving around FDR’s executive order is held every year. The Japanese American Citizens League works to “secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry.”

Decades after Eisenhower created the Sister Cities program, Idaho Falls had developed a collaborative relationship with Tokai Mura through what was then the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Scientists with the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute in Tokai and the desert site in Idaho began exchanging visits and working together on nuclear safety research around 1976, according to Japanese historical records.

“During this time, the idea of ​​a sister city relationship arose, mainly among Japanese Americans living in Idaho, and the idea was relayed to the village through JAERI staff. In October 1978, a letter of intent to establish a sister city relationship arrived from the City of Falls, Idaho, to the village mayor,” the document says.

The two cities officially entered into a partnership on July 3, 1981. A commemorative ceremony was held in Idaho Falls to not only acknowledge the sister city status, but also pledge “eternal development and lasting friendship between the two cities.”

The Idaho Falls Japanese Friendship Garden at 600 West Broadway was created in 2011 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship. A deadly earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan that same year, and the Friendship Garden also became a tribute to the victims of that tragedy. It was dedicated in 2012 and a student delegation from Tokai-Mura attended.

Forty-five years after its partnership began, the Sister Cities program facilitates annual exchanges between the two communities. Japanese youth visit Idaho Falls while Idaho Falls adults travel to Japan.

Laura Combs, president of the Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth program, says these yearly exchanges help build relationships and cultural understanding across generations.

“It’s amazing to see our home community through an exchange student’s eyes. Something we find routine, they find surprising,” Combs says in a news release. “Our homes, climate, geography and languages are different, but hospitality is a universal language, and this program creates lifelong friendships and understanding.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Maria Wilson

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    MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A New Hampshire teenager and her mother are suing Snap Inc., alleging the company chose money over the safety of its young users at the expense of human dignity.

“Sophie Doe,” as she is identified in the complaint, was 14 years old when her Snapchat account was compromised. Images she had saved in the app’s “My Eyes Only” feature were allegedly stolen and later appeared on websites that publish and sell child sexual abuse material.

The platform’s “My Eyes Only” feature is designed for “Snaps that you want to keep extra private!” and is password-protected, according to Snapchat’s website.

The plaintiff, now 19, said she was misled into taking and saving explicit pictures that were later compromised.

The complaint argued she took the pictures because the “My Eyes Only” feature essentially promised security.

“Sophie Doe would not have created and/or saved nude and sexually explicit material on Snapchat if it were not for Snap’s representation that My Eyes Only was private, safe and accessible only to her,” the complaint said.

The lawsuit pointed to the feature’s graphic design, which includes a shield and key, arguing that the imagery implies privacy, control and defense.

“There just aren’t enough warnings or protections against other people, bad actors, predators kind of hacking into these accounts and then misusing that content,” her attorney, Shan Shan Guo, told News 9.

In March 2021, Sophie Doe’s Snapchat account, including the photos saved in My Eyes Only, was allegedly hacked.

Several weeks after the cyberattack, she received a message from another user who claimed he had purchased nude photos of her on another platform. Soon after that conversation, Sophie Doe was flooded with messages from others who made similar claims.

According to the complaint, she received hundreds of unwanted contacts, including Snapchat messages, phone calls and text messages. The suit also alleges the people were able to contact Sophie Doe because her personal information was also targeted and shared elsewhere online.

“That’s completely unacceptable,” Guo said. “As a result, she’s suffered an immense amount of damages and trauma.”

The mother and daughter argue Snap should be held liable for the emotional trauma she endured because of the hack. Attorneys for the family argue Snapchat does not do enough to warn or protect children from this kind of harm.

“Snapchat is a product that not only targets young people and children and teens, but it also facilitates the exchange of explicit content through the use of disappearing audiovisual messages — so photos and videos and things like that,” Guo said.

“Despite being aware of the myriad issues of sexual exploitation that children faced on its social media platform, including being jacked and catfished for [child sexual abuse material], Snap failed to implement safeguards on Snapchat that would meaningfully protect the privacy, safety and security of its young users,” the complaint alleged.

Snap has repeatedly appeared on the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s “Dirty Dozen” list, which criticizes mainstream entities it says facilitate, enable or profit from sexual abuse.

Snap declined to comment.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.