Meta Platforms will head to a New Mexico courtroom next week to face a landmark lawsuit. The state accuses the tech giant of exposing children and teenagers to sexual exploitation on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This marks the first time a jury will decide a case against Meta regarding child safety and exploitation.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez brought the suit after a long investigation. He claims the company’s apps allowed predators to find underage victims easily. He also argues that Meta’s own algorithms promoted illegal content. The lawsuit says these failures led to real-world abuse and human trafficking.
The evidence for the case comes partly from a 2023 undercover sting called “Operation MetaPhile.” During that operation, state investigators created fake profiles for users under 14 years old. These accounts immediately received sexually explicit messages from adults. Torrez says the investigation proves that Meta does not do enough to verify ages or block predators.
Beyond exploitation, the state claims Meta purposefully made its apps addictive. Features like auto-play videos and infinite scrolling keep kids hooked. The lawsuit suggests these designs cause depression and anxiety in young people. Internal documents reportedly show that Meta leaders knew about these risks but chose to ignore them to keep profits high.
Meta denies these accusations and plans to fight them in court. A company spokesperson called the state’s arguments “sensationalist” and misleading. The company maintains that it has spent over a decade building safety tools and working with experts to protect families. Meta also argues that federal laws, like Section 230, protect the company from being held responsible for things users post on their platforms.
The trial begins Monday with jury selection in Santa Fe. It could last nearly two months. New Mexico wants the court to fine Meta and force the company to change how its apps work. The state’s legal team says they are ready to show the jury two years’ worth of internal company documents and testimony.
