From ABC News: A New Mexico jury determined Tuesday that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms, a verdict that signals a changing tide against tech companies and the government’s willingness to crack down.
The landmark decision comes after a nearly seven-week trial, and as jurors in a federal court in California have been sequestered in deliberations for more than a week about whether Meta and YouTube should be liable in a similar case.
New Mexico jurors sided with state prosecutors who argued that Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — prioritized profits over safety, and violated parts of the state’s Unfair Practices Act.
The jury agreed with allegations that Meta made false or misleading statements and also agreed that Meta engaged in “unconscionable” trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of and inexperience of children.
The jury hit Meta with a penalty of $375 million, which represents thousands of violations. Meta has vowed to appeal the verdict.
A second trial is set to happen in May, where a judge will determine whether Meta’s social media platforms created a public nuisance and whether the company should pay for public programs to address the harms.
A New Mexico jury found social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children's mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law.
Jurors found there were thousands of violations, each counting separately toward a penalty of $375 million. https://t.co/2BEd27uilz pic.twitter.com/sVVQXHH24C
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 24, 2026
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