A New Mexico jury has ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties after finding that the company violated state consumer protection laws in a case related to child safety on its platforms.
The lawsuit was brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who accused the company of misleading users about the safety of its services, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and of enabling child sexual exploitation. According to court findings, the jury determined that Meta engaged in deceptive and unconscionable practices under the state’s Unfair Practices Act.
Jurors found that the company failed to adequately protect underage users and allowed harmful interactions to occur on its platforms. The verdict followed a trial that examined internal company documents, expert testimony, and evidence from a state investigation.
The case was partly based on a 2023 undercover operation conducted by state investigators. Authorities created accounts posing as users under the age of 14 and reported receiving sexually explicit material and contact from adults seeking similar content. The investigation led to criminal charges against several individuals, according to officials.
The jury identified 75,000 violations of state law and applied a $5,000 penalty per violation, resulting in a total $375 million fine.
State prosecutors argued that Meta did not implement sufficient safety measures, including effective age verification, and did not adequately address known risks associated with its platforms. They also alleged that certain product features increased user engagement despite evidence of harm to younger users.
Meta denied the allegations and stated that it plans to appeal the verdict. A company spokesperson said the firm works to protect users and acknowledged the challenges of identifying and removing harmful content at scale.
The trial lasted several weeks and included testimony from company representatives, safety experts, and other witnesses. In a separate phase scheduled for May, a judge will consider additional claims and potential remedies, including possible changes to the company’s platforms.