Jury finds Meta liable for harming children’s mental health, concealing exploitation risks
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico jury on Tuesday determined that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, deliberately harmed the mental health of children and concealed its knowledge of child sexual exploitation occurring on its platforms. The verdict comes as similar accusations against Meta and YouTube are being deliberated in a California federal court.
The jury found Meta violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act, concluding the company prioritized financial gains over user safety. Jurors agreed with prosecutors who argued Meta failed to disclose what it knew about the dangers of its platforms, including the prevalence of teen suicide-related content and the role of its algorithms in promoting harmful material.
The decision followed a nearly seven-week trial where jurors reviewed internal Meta documents and heard testimony from company executives, engineers, former employees, and experts in psychiatry and technology security. The evidence presented included accounts from educators detailing disruptions caused by social media, including instances of sextortion targeting minors.
“The evidence showed that Meta invests in safety not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s good for business,” Meta attorney Kevin Huff argued during closing statements. “Meta designs its apps to help people connect with friends and family, not to facilitate contact with predators.”
However, the jury sided with prosecutors who asserted Meta knowingly facilitated exploitation and failed to adequately protect young users. They found Meta made false or misleading statements and engaged in “unconscionable” practices that exploited the vulnerability of children.
The jury assessed damages of $375 million, calculating each violation separately. A second phase of the trial, scheduled for May, will determine if Meta engaged in a “public nuisance” and what corrective measures should be taken.
Meta plans to appeal the verdict. “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are forthright about the challenges of identifying and removing malicious actors or harmful content. We will continue to vigorously defend our record of protecting teens online.”
The New Mexico case is among the first to reach trial in a wave of litigation against social media companies regarding their impact on children. More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, alleging the company contributes to a youth mental health crisis by intentionally designing addictive features on Instagram and Facebook.
The case was built on a state investigation where undercover agents created social media accounts posing as minors to document instances of sexual harassment and Meta’s response. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s lawsuit, filed in 2023, also alleges Meta has not fully disclosed or addressed the dangers of social media addiction.
While Meta does not acknowledge social media addiction, its executives admitted during the trial to the existence of “problematic use” and stated their goal is for users to feel satisfied with their time on the platforms.
The legal battles come as school districts and lawmakers increasingly call for restrictions on smartphone use in schools. The Section 230 provision of the Communications Decency Act, along with First Amendment protections, has historically shielded tech companies from liability for content posted by users. However, prosecutors in New Mexico argue Meta should be held accountable for its role in disseminating harmful content through its algorithms.