Sen Blumenthal Urges Snap to Release Internal Data on the Company's Effect on Children and Teens

Sen Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote a letter to Snap CEO Evan Spiegel urging him to release internal data pertaining to the company's effect on children and teens. Blumenthal requested the following by November 24, 2021:

1. Please provide the full internal research on Snapchat’s effect on children and teens’ mental health and well-being to my office as your representative committed to do.
2. If Snap plans to withhold any internal research regarding children and teens’ mental health and well-being contrary to that commitment, please detail what research it will not provide and its reasons for doing so.
3. How does Snap currently support requests regarding access to its datasets and information about its algorithms from any independent researcher (i.e., any academic or civil society researcher who is not an employee of or subcontractor for Snap) that wishes to study children and teens’ mental health and well-being?
4. If Snap restricts the types of research, datasets, studies, or other relevant information or freedom to publish findings for independent researchers, please detail these restrictions and its reasons for doing so.