New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law

Key Points:

• A New Mexico jury found Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed knowledge of child sexual exploitation on its platforms, violating the state's Unfair Practices Act by prioritizing profits over safety.
• Jurors identified thousands of violations, each carrying a $375 million penalty, totaling less than one-fifth of the amount prosecutors sought; Meta plans to appeal the verdict.
• The court will next determine whether Meta's platforms constitute a public nuisance and if the company must fund public programs to address harms, with this second trial phase scheduled for May.
• The case is part of a broader wave of litigation by over 40 state attorneys general accusing Meta of contributing to a youth mental health crisis through addictive platform designs and inadequate safety measures.
• Evidence presented included undercover investigations, internal Meta documents, and testimony from experts and educators, highlighting failures in protecting children and misleading statements by Meta leadership about platform safety.