Corporate Counsel Daily, New Mexico jury finds Meta liable in child-safety case, (Mar 25, 2026)

By WK Editorial Staff

The company was ordered to pay $375 million for violating the state’s consumer protection laws.

A New Mexico jury has found Meta Platforms, Inc. liable for misleading consumers about the safety of its social media platforms and for endangering children, according to the New Mexico Department of Justice. The verdict, issued in the case State of New Mexico v. Meta Platforms, Inc., orders the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties. Jurors determined Meta committed violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act, each carrying the statutory maximum penalty of $5,000 (New Mexico DOJ Press Release (Mar. 24, 2026)).

The verdict makes New Mexico the first state to win a trial against a major technology company over allegations of harming young users. The state’s case asserted that Meta misrepresented the safety of its platforms and failed to protect minors from various risks. Evidence presented during the trial included internal company documents, testimony from former Meta employees, and accounts from law enforcement and educators. According to the state, these materials indicated that design features on Meta’s platforms enabled child exploitation and exposed young people to harmful content.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the jury’s decision affirms the state’s claims that Meta executives were aware of risks to children but did not adequately address them. The two-year litigation effort included a 2023 investigation into Meta’s platforms, during which the state obtained documents and testimony suggesting that employees and outside experts had repeatedly warned of safety hazards. Witnesses at trial asserted that Meta’s products facilitated contact between predators and minors and that platform algorithms contributed to addictive use and exposure to self-harm and eating-disorder content.

Public nuisance claim. A separate claim in the case, focused on public nuisance allegations, is scheduled to be heard in a bench trial beginning May 4. In that phase, the state plans to seek additional damages and court-ordered changes to Meta’s operations. Requested measures include enhanced age-verification systems, the removal of predators from the platform, and restrictions on encrypted communications that could conceal harmful activity involving minors.

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