A New Mexico court has ordered Meta Platforms to pay $375 million in damages after a jury found the tech giant misled users about the safety of its platforms for children, reports BBC.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, who called the verdict “historic,” marking the first successful state-level case against Meta on child safety issues.
The jury concluded that Meta — owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act by downplaying risks to young users, including exposure to sexually explicit content and potential contact with predators.
The trial, which lasted seven weeks, included testimony from former employees and whistleblowers, such as Arturo Béjar, who said internal experiments revealed underage Instagram users were being served sexualized content. Béjar also disclosed that his own daughter had received inappropriate advances on the platform. Prosecutors presented internal research showing that 16% of Instagram users reported encountering unwanted nudity or sexual activity within a single week.
Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, rejected the findings and said it will appeal. A spokesperson emphasized that the company continues to invest in safety measures, citing initiatives such as “Teen Accounts” on Instagram and parental alerts for self-harm searches.
The $375 million penalty reflects thousands of violations, each carrying fines of up to $5,000. The company also faces a separate trial in Los Angeles over claims that its platforms contributed to childhood addiction, alongside thousands of similar lawsuits pending nationwide.
“Meta executives knew their products harmed children, ignored warnings, and misled the public,” Torrez said, praising the jury’s verdict as a sign of growing concern from families, educators, and child safety advocates.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
