New Mexico Orders Meta to Pay $375M Over Child Safety

In a landmark verdict, a jury in New Mexico, United States, has ordered Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, to pay $375 million (approx. Dh1.38 billion) in civil penalties. The decision comes after the court found that Meta misled consumers about the safety of its platforms and exposed children to harm.

This is the first time a U.S. state has successfully held a major tech company accountable at trial for the impact of its platforms on young users. The verdict follows a two-year investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice under the case State of New Mexico v. Meta Platforms, Inc.

The jury found Meta liable under New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act, awarding the maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez called the verdict “a historic victory for every child and family affected by Meta’s prioritization of profits over safety.” Torrez added that internal Meta documents and testimony from employees and experts revealed that the company knew its platforms could harm children but ignored warnings.

Key Evidence:

• Meta’s platform design reportedly allowed predators to exploit children.
• Internal reports indicated the company intentionally created addictive features targeting young users.
• Despite warnings from employees and child safety experts, Meta allegedly misrepresented platform safety to the public.

Meta issued a statement saying it “respectfully” disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal. Meanwhile, Instagram introduced new alerts notifying parents if teenagers repeatedly search for suicide or self-harm content.

Next Steps:

The $375 million fine may not be the end. A bench trial is scheduled for May 4, where New Mexico will pursue a public nuisance claim and request court-mandated reforms. These may include:

• Enhanced age verification.
• Removal of predators.
• Protections against encrypted communications that shield harmful behavior.

This trial is part of a growing wave of lawsuits across the U.S., with over 40 state attorneys general challenging Meta for allegedly designing addictive platforms contributing to mental health issues among young users. Similar cases against Snap, TikTok, and YouTube are ongoing, with some already resulting in settlements.

Dr. Joanne Gray, University of Sydney, said: “Ordinary citizens have done what regulators failed to do. The jury sends a clear message to Big Tech: children’s safety must come first.”

This verdict is seen as a watershed moment for parents and regulators, emphasizing the urgent need for social media platforms to prioritize child safety over profits.