New Mexico jury finds Meta committed thousands of violations that put children at risk
A New Mexico jury found Meta violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act by deceiving users about platform safety and failing to curb risks to minors, resulting in a $375 million civil penalty after a trial of over six weeks. The verdict indicates thousands of recurring violations tied to deceptive practices aimed at boosting engagement and profits at the expense of child safety, with prosecutors citing internal awareness of harms such as anxiety and exploitation. The ruling underscores a widening wave of lawsuits against social media companies over youth impact, and signals possible further penalties as other cases proceed. Meta has vowed to appeal and emphasizes investments in safety and moderation as it faces ongoing litigation and parallel trials elsewhere.
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Jurors convicted Meta on all counts under New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act, awarding $375 million in civil penalties, after a trial that lasted more than six weeks. The case arose from allegations that Meta knowingly prioritized engagement and profits over child safety, despite internal awareness of harms like anxiety and exposure to predatory content.
The lawsuit stems from a 2023 undercover state investigation in which officials created accounts posing as minors and quickly encountered explicit content and predatory behavior. Attorney General Raúl Torrez described Meta platforms as prime locations for predators and accused the company of failing to implement safeguards such as effective age verification.
Prosecutors argued that Meta made misleading statements about platform safety and did not adequately address risks to children, resulting in thousands of procedural violations that cumulatively justified the large penalty under the Unfair Practices Act. The verdict highlights deceptive and unfair practices perceived as exploiting young users.
Meta disputed the allegations, saying it has invested in safety features and content moderation and intends to appeal the decision. A spokesperson stressed ongoing efforts to defend the record of protecting teens online and to address challenges in removing harmful content and actors.
The NM case is among the early jury verdicts in a broader wave of litigation against social media firms over youth mental health impacts. Separate cases, including a California trial that is currently deadlocked, reflect ongoing national scrutiny and rising legal exposure for platforms linked to addictive design and child safety concerns.
The verdict’s implications extend beyond the $375 million penalty, signaling how state consumer protection laws may be used to address platform harms to minors and potentially shaping future regulatory and legal strategies as similar inquiries unfold nationwide.