A court in New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $375 million (£279 million) for misleading users over the safety of its platforms for children. A jury found that Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, was liable for the way in which its platforms endangered children and exposed them to sexually explicit material and contact with sexual predators. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez called the verdict 'historic,' marking the first time that a state has successfully sued Meta over child safety issues. A Meta spokeswoman stated that the company disagrees with the verdict and intends to appeal, emphasizing their efforts to keep users safe and the challenges of identifying harmful content. The ruling followed a seven-week trial where jurors reviewed internal documents and heard from witnesses about how Meta was aware of child predators on its platforms. Former Meta engineering leader Arturo Béjar testified about experiments that confirmed underage users were fed sexualized content. Meta is also facing a separate trial in Los Angeles related to user addiction claims, reflecting the growing scrutiny over how tech companies manage user safety and addiction.
Meta Faces $375 Million Penalty for Misleading Child Safety Claims
Meta Faces $375 Million Penalty for Misleading Child Safety Claims
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay $375 million following a jury's decision that the company misled users about the safety of its platforms for children.
In a landmark ruling, a New Mexico jury has mandated Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, to pay $375 million for endangering children on its platforms. The court found that Meta's practices allowed minors to be exposed to harmful content and potential interactions with predators. New Mexico's Attorney General hailed the verdict as historic, marking the first successful state lawsuit against Meta concerning child safety. Meta intends to appeal the decision, emphasizing their commitment to user safety.
