A jury in New Mexico ruled Meta liable for violating the state's consumer protection laws, ordering the company to pay a $375 million penalty. The verdict stems from allegations that Meta misled users about platform safety amid child exploitation risks. Meta plans to appeal the decision.
A New Mexico jury found Meta liable on all counts in a civil trial brought by state Attorney General Raúl Torrez, imposing the maximum $375 million penalty under consumer protection laws. The case, filed in 2023, accused Meta of knowing its platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—exposed children to exploitation, sextortion, self-harm content, grooming, and mental health harms, yet failing to implement adequate safeguards while publicly claiming to prioritize safety. Jurors reviewed internal Meta documents, including teen mental health research and executive emails discussing these issues, as presented by prosecutors, as first reported by Reuters. The ruling came one day after closing arguments in the weeks-long trial. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated, “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.” Attorney General Torrez hailed the outcome as a “historic victory” for families, saying, “Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew. Today the jury joined families, educators, and child safety experts in saying enough is enough.” The state plans to pursue further action, arguing Meta constitutes a “public nuisance” in a bench trial set to begin in May, seeking additional penalties and platform changes. This verdict arrives amid similar scrutiny, including an ongoing Los Angeles jury deliberation in a social media addiction case against Meta where CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified.
