Meta ordered to pay $375M after jury finds platform enabled child predators in landmark New Mexico case
A New Mexico jury on Tuesday ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding the company violated state law by misleading users about the safety of its platforms and allegedly enabling child sexual exploitation.
Jurors found the Facebook and Instagram parent company violated New Mexico’s consumer protection law following a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Raul Torrez, who accused Meta of failing to protect children from predators.
"The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety," said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. "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."
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The verdict marks a major legal win for the state and is believed to be the first time a state has prevailed at trial against a major tech company over claims it harmed children through its platforms, according to the New Mexico State Justice Department.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by the state, alleged Meta created a "breeding ground" for child predators and misled users about safety protections on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
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The $375 million penalty is significantly lower than the roughly $2.1 billion New Mexico officials had sought, though the jury awarded the maximum allowed under state law of $5,000 per violation.
Meta said it disagrees with the verdict and plans to appeal.
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"We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal," a Meta spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement. "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."
The case is separate from a high-profile Los Angeles trial over claims social media platforms contribute to youth addiction.