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A New Mexico jury began full deliberations on Tuesday in a high-stakes trial where Meta is accused of failing to protect children from online predators.
The state alleges that the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp designed algorithms that prioritised user engagement over minor safety, effectively directing adults toward content posted by teenagers.
This case is one of two major U.S. lawsuits currently in the hands of jurors, with a parallel trial in California weighing the liability of Meta and YouTube regarding platform addiction and general harm to minors.
During the six-week trial, which featured testimony from 40 witnesses and hundreds of internal documents, prosecutors argued that Meta intentionally concealed the risks its platforms posed to young users.
Attorney General Raul Torrez’s legal team claimed the company violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act by misleading the public about product safety while its systems recommended “sensational and harmful content.”
New Mexico is seeking billions of dollars in penalties, calculated at $5,000 for each of the estimated 221,000 teenage users in the state.
Meta has dismissed the state’s allegations as “sensationalist,” asserting that the prosecution relied on “cherry-picked” evidence and failed to prove its case.
A company spokesperson emphasised Meta’s longstanding commitment to supporting young people and maintaining a safe digital environment.
While the jury decides on the civil penalties, a second phase of the trial is scheduled for May, during which a judge will determine if Meta created a “public nuisance” that requires the company to fund child safety and recovery programmes.
