Meta Ordered to Pay $375m in Landmark Child Safety Case
Meta Platforms has been ordered by a court in New Mexico to pay $375 million in damages after a jury found the company misled users about the safety of its platforms for children.
The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by the state, with Attorney General Raul Torrez describing the verdict as “historic.” It marks the first time a US state has successfully held Meta liable over child safety concerns.
The case centred on Meta’s major platforms – Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – which the jury found exposed young users to harmful content, including explicit material and interactions with predators.
Jurors concluded that Meta violated New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act by failing to accurately represent the risks associated with its platforms. Evidence presented during the seven-week trial included internal company documents and testimony from former employees indicating that the company was aware of safety issues affecting minors.
Former Meta engineering leader Arturo Béjar testified that internal testing showed underage users were frequently exposed to inappropriate content. Prosecutors also cited internal research suggesting a significant number of Instagram users had encountered unwanted sexual material.
Meta has said it disagrees with the verdict and plans to appeal. The company maintains it has invested heavily in safety features, including tools designed to protect teenagers and give parents more oversight of their children’s online activity.
The $375 million penalty reflects thousands of violations identified by the jury, each carrying a financial sanction under state law.
The ruling adds to mounting legal pressure on Meta, which is facing multiple lawsuits across the United States over the impact of its platforms on young users. Analysts say the outcome could have far-reaching implications for how tech companies design and regulate social media experiences for children.
