New Mexico Sues Meta Over Youth Exploitation Claims

A trial commenced in New Mexico on Monday, May 4, to address the state's allegations that Meta Platforms' Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp caused harm to young users' mental health. The lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, seeks a court order to compel Meta to implement significant platform changes and potentially billions of dollars in damages.

The proceedings, held before a judge in Santa Fe, follow a March jury verdict that found Meta violated New Mexico's consumer protection law by misrepresenting the safety of its platforms for young users, resulting in a $375 million damages award. This current phase will determine if Meta's platforms constitute a “public nuisance” under state law, which could lead to court-mandated remedies.

Torrez's office is advocating for measures such as age verification, algorithmic redesign to prioritize quality content for minors, and the elimination of autoplay and infinite scroll features for underage users. Meta maintains it has implemented extensive safety measures and disputes the scientific link between social media use and youth mental health issues, arguing that proposed changes could be impractical or force its withdrawal from the state.