Meta Hit With Landmark $375 Million Verdict Over Child Exploitation Claims
Editors carefully fact-check all Consumer Notice, LLC content for accuracy and quality.
Consumer Notice, LLC has a stringent fact-checking process. It starts with our strict sourcing guidelines.
We only gather information from credible sources. This includes peer-reviewed medical journals, reputable media outlets, government reports, court records and interviews with qualified experts.
The owner of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram could be on the hook for a significant payout.
A New Mexico jury on Tuesday ordered Meta to pay $375 million in a lawsuit brought by the state Attorney General, claiming that its apps violated consumer protection laws and enabled child sexual abuse.
“The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety,” New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said in a statement after the verdict. “New Mexico is proud to be the first state to hold Meta accountable in court for misleading parents, enabling child exploitation, and harming kids.”
New Mexico prosecutors had argued that Meta’s apps allowed online predators to easily target children. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2023 after an undercover investigation by the state determined that Meta’s platforms were “prime locations” for predators to solicit minors.
The verdict is significant, as Meta is defending itself against growing litigation across multiple areas related to child safety. A Los Angeles jury is currently in deliberation on a separate case held over claims that social media platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive.
Thousands of Social Media Addiction Lawsuits Remain Active
Meta, along with the makers of apps like Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, are facing thousands of social media lawsuits claiming that their platforms are intentionally addictive and have contributed to severe mental health issues in children.
The trial in Los Angeles involves a plaintiff identified as KGM, who says that she began using social media as a young child and went on to experience worsened mental health as a result. That trial has been closely watched, given that thousands of other similar cases are pending in both federal and state courts. Lawsuits have been filed by both individuals and school districts.
As of this week, the jury had reported that it was struggling to come to a final verdict.
Roblox Lawsuits Claim Gaming App Failed to Protect Users
The New Mexico verdict against Meta could also be significant for another growing group of cases involving Roblox.
The popular gaming platform, which has millions of daily users, has faced lawsuits claiming that it facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation by failing to keep its users safe from predators.
“Roblox provides predators with easy access to tens of millions of children and allows these predators to freely move between inappropriate content and popular games to identify and target vulnerable young users,” one lawsuit claims.
There are currently more than 130 Roblox lawsuits grouped together in federal court. While some of the claims are similar to those in the Meta trial, this litigation is still in the early stages. Trials are not expected for some time.
