A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay $375 million for misleading users about Meta’s child safety. The decision comes after a jury found that the company failed to protect children on its platforms. Moreover, the ruling is historic, marking the first time a U.S. state successfully sued Meta over online child safety.
Attorney General Raul Torrez praised the verdict, stating it represents a major win for families and educators. He added that Meta executives knew their products harmed children, yet disregarded warnings and misled the public. Consequently, the decision highlights the risks of algorithm-driven social media platforms.
During the seven-week trial, jurors reviewed internal Meta documents and heard from former employees. One whistleblower, former engineer Arturo Béjar, testified that Instagram experiments exposed underage users to sexual content. Furthermore, Béjar revealed that his own daughter received sexual solicitations through the platform.
State prosecutors also shared research indicating that 16% of Instagram users reported seeing unwanted sexual material in just one week. Meta argued that it has long worked to combat harmful behavior and protect minors. For instance, in 2024, Instagram launched Teen Accounts to give young users more control over their experience.
Recently, the platform also introduced alerts for parents if children search for self-harm content. Despite these efforts, the jury found thousands of violations under New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act. Each violation carried a maximum penalty of $5,000, resulting in a total of $375 million.
The verdict comes amid growing concerns over social media addiction and child exploitation. Other cases are pending across the U.S., including lawsuits in Los Angeles claiming intentional design to hook young users. Moreover, regulators and lawmakers increasingly scrutinize Meta’s algorithms and content recommendations for young audiences.
Attorney General Torrez emphasized that families, child safety experts, and educators collectively said: “Enough is enough.” In response, Meta stated it disagrees with the verdict and intends to appeal. Nevertheless, the case underscores the ongoing challenge of protecting children online while using social media platforms.
