Overview
- Meta, which a Santa Fe jury found liable on Tuesday under New Mexico’s consumer law, was hit with a $375 million penalty set using the statute’s $5,000-per-violation maximum.
- Jurors heard from about 40 witnesses and reviewed internal documents, including a 2023 sting where decoy accounts posing as under-14 quickly drew sexual messages and contact from adults.
- Prosecutors argued Meta misled families about safety while features like infinite scroll and autoplay kept teens engaged and increased exposure to harmful content.
- Meta said it disagrees with the decision and will appeal, arguing it invests in safeguards and is transparent about the challenges of removing predators and harmful material.
- A bench phase set for May 4 will test the state’s public-nuisance claim and possible court-ordered platform changes, while a separate Los Angeles jury continues deliberations in a related bellwether case against Meta and YouTube.