Meta is back in the hot seat. On Monday, opening arguments began in a high-profile trial where the state of New Mexico is taking on the tech giant alone. The state alleges that Meta failed to protect children on Facebook and Instagram from online predators and human traffickers.
New Mexico’s Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, isn’t holding back. He claims Meta created a “dangerous product” that actively connected kids to sexually explicit material and predators. “What we are really alleging is that Meta has created a product that enables not only the targeting of children, but the exploitation of children in virtual spaces and in the real world,” Torrez said on Monday.
The state’s case relies heavily on a disturbing undercover sting operation. Investigators created a fake profile for a 13-year-old girl to see what would happen. Torrez said the account was almost immediately “inundated” with targeted solicitations and graphic images. He found the results so shocking that he decided to sue.
Meta denies the claims, insisting it has a long-standing commitment to keeping young people safe. However, this is just one part of a massive legal wave hitting the company. In Los Angeles, another trial is looking at how apps like Instagram and TikTok damage the mental health of teens. Later this week, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri is set to testify in that case, followed by Mark Zuckerberg a week later.
Torrez wants more than just a big fine; he wants Meta to fundamentally change how its apps work. He is calling for strict age verification and a total redesign of the features that connect strangers with children.
While tech companies usually hide behind a law called Section 230—which says they aren’t responsible for what users post—these new lawsuits are different. They argue the apps themselves are “defective” and “addictive” by design. Experts say this feels like the 1990s legal battle against “Big Tobacco.” If New Mexico wins, it could force the entire social media industry to change its ways forever.
