SANTA FE, New Mexico (BP) – Meta knowingly misled consumers about the safety of its online platforms and therefore endangered children, a jury decision rendered on March 24. Therefore, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram will pay $375 million in civil penalties, the maximum amount of $5,000 per violation.
“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.”
The decision comes as a similar lawsuit in Los Angeles covering thousands of cases of social media addiction is in the jury-deliberation stage.
The March 24 verdict came after only seven hours of deliberation following a two-year investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice. Internal documents retrieved during that investigation contained warnings from Meta employees and child safety experts over dangers present to children on the company’s platforms.
In the complaint, Torrez called Facebook and Instagram “breeding ground[s] for predators who target children for human trafficking, the distribution of sexual images, grooming, and solicitation.”
A spokesperson for Meta said the company will appeal the decision.
During the trial, evidence demonstrated that Meta’s platforms are intentionally designed to addict young people and expose them to dangerous content, such as eating disorders and self-harm. The evidence included Meta internal documents and testimony from former Meta employees, law enforcement officials and New Mexico educators.
Miles Mullin, executive vice president and chief of staff for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, called the decision “significant,” and not just because of the amount awarded.
“In this trial, a jury made up of everyday Americans said that no matter what other factors are at play, children must be protected from harmful and exploitative sexual material,” he noted. “This is a win for safeguarding our children’s innocence, aligning with the Bible’s commands to protect the most vulnerable among us. As several similar cases make their way through several state courts, we should hope and pray for similar results.”
The New Mexico decision comes nearly one month after a Delaware Superior Court ruled that Meta’s insurers would not be responsible for paying out losses in such lawsuits for the tech company.
“New Mexico is proud to be the first state to hold Meta accountable in court for misleading parents, enabling child exploitation, and harming kids,” said Torrez. “In the next phase of this legal proceeding, we will seek additional financial penalties and court-mandated changes to Meta’s platforms that offer stronger protections for children.
“The substantial damages the jury ordered Meta to pay should send a clear message to big tech executives that no company is beyond the reach of the law. Policymakers and law enforcement officials across the country can help make this verdict a turning point in the fight for children’s safety. This is a watershed moment for every parent concerned about what could happen to their kids when they go online – and this victory belongs to them.”