Jury found Meta engaged in deceptive practices related to user safety on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The lawsuit stemmed from allegations of enabling child exploitation and misleading safety claims.
Meta plans to appeal as further legal proceedings on platform changes are expected.
A jury in New Mexico has found Meta guilty of violating state consumer protection laws in a case centered on the safety of its social media platforms. The verdict, which was delivered on March 24, orders the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties. For the unaware, the lawsuit was filed by Raul Torrez, who accused Meta to mislead users about the safety of its social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, while failing to adequately protect minors from exploitation. The jury concluded that the company engaged in unfair and deceptive practices and acted in ways that were deemed unconscionable under state law.
The decision follows a six week trial in Santa Fe, where the state lawyers argued thatMeta knowingly allowed harmful content and interactions including minors to persist in the platforms. The investigators had created accounts posing as underage users and reported being exposed to explicit material and contact from adults, some of which led to criminal cases.
In response, Meta stated that it disagrees with the verdict and will appeal in the higher court. The company maintained that it has invested heavily on safety features and moderation tools to fight such harmful activity and also mentioned the challenges of policing large-scale online platforms.
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This is not the first time Meta has faced a lawsuit. The tech giant is already facing multiple lawsuits in the United States over allegations that its platforms contribute to mental health issues among the young users. Critics have argued that features designed to increase engagement may also encourage behaviour, specifically among the teenagers.
In a statement following the verdict, Torrez described the outcome as a “major win” for families, saying it sends a strong message about accountability in the tech industry. However, the case is not yet resolved fully as a separate phase of trial is scheduled for May, which will determine whether further penalties or mandatory changes to Meta’s platform policies will be imposed.
