Meta Fined $375 Million in Lawsuit Over Child Safety on Facebook, Instagram & WhatsApp
A New Mexico jury on Monday found Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, liable for failing to adequately protect children and teenagers from online harms. The verdict, following a six-week trial brought by the state’s attorney general, carries a penalty of $375 million.
The lawsuit alleged that Meta knowingly designed its platforms to be addictive to young users and failed to implement sufficient safeguards against online exploitation, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez hailed the decision as “a historic victory for every child and every family who has paid the price for Meta prioritizing profit over the safety of children.” He stated that Meta’s leadership was aware of the harm their products caused to children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and misled the public about their knowledge.
The state had sought the maximum penalty of $5,000 for each of the estimated 221,000 minors in New Mexico who use the platforms, totaling approximately $2.2 billion. While the awarded $375 million is significantly less than the requested amount, it represents a substantial financial blow and a significant legal precedent.
Meta announced its intention to appeal the verdict shortly after it was delivered. A Meta spokesperson stated, “We respectfully disagree with the outcome and will appeal. We work hard to preserve people safe on our platforms.”
The case in New Mexico is unfolding alongside a separate trial in Los Angeles, where Meta and YouTube are accused of promoting social media addiction. That lawsuit, brought by a 20-year-old California woman, alleges that the companies intentionally designed their platforms to be addictive, causing severe psychological harm. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, both testified in that case, denying the allegations.
The New Mexico verdict is expected to influence the outcome of numerous other lawsuits against tech companies alleging similar harms to young users. These cases claim that social media platforms contribute to depression, eating disorders, psychiatric hospitalizations, and even suicide among adolescents.
Following more than a week of deliberations, the jury indicated difficulty reaching a unanimous decision against one of the companies, prompting Judge Carolyn Kuhl to urge them to continue their discussions to avoid the expense of selecting new jurors.