New Mexico Seeks Nearly $1 Billion from Meta Over Child Safety Concerns

The New Mexico Department of Justice is demanding close to $1 billion from Meta, the parent company of Facebook. This follows a recent jury decision that found the company guilty of jeopardizing children’s safety and misleading the public about its platform’s safety features.

Meta had already been ordered to pay the highest civil penalty permitted by law, amounting to $375 million. This fine was due to violations of New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act, with each infraction costing $5,000.

In a motion filed recently, the state is pushing for Meta to contribute $953 million into a special fund. This fund aims to support public education and behavioral health initiatives, as reported by SourceNM.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, previously testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the dangers of child exploitation on social media. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez accused Meta of prioritizing profits over the safety of children. He asserts that the company ignored employee warnings and misled the public about the situation.

Torrez claims Meta’s platform design allowed predators to exploit children sexually. Additionally, he stated that the platforms are engineered to be addictive, making young users vulnerable to harmful content such as self-harm and eating disorders.

The state’s abatement request reduced by over 90% from the original demand.

A spokesperson for Meta commented to Fox News Digital that the New Mexico Attorney General employed a misguided strategy during the trial. They believe it risks the safety of teenagers, infringes on parental rights, and limits free expression.

Meta, which operates Instagram, faced a negligent ruling in Los Angeles for distress caused to a young user. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The spokesperson noted that even the judge pointed out these measures might be an “overreach.” Furthermore, they argue that the state’s case does not consider the multiple apps teenagers use and lacks proper scientific or legal basis against Meta.

Meta has aimed to offer safe, age-appropriate experiences and has introduced 13 safety measures in the past year, aligning with the state’s demands.

Alexandra Koch, a journalist for Fox News Digital, specializes in breaking news. She covers significant national events like wildfires in L.A., aviation disasters over the Potomac and Hudson Rivers, the Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.