New Mexico Lawsuit Accuses Meta of Failing to Protect Children

New Mexico has initiated a trial against Meta, accusing the company of violating consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the harmful effects of its platforms – Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – on children. Prosecutors argue Meta knowingly engineered algorithms to maximize engagement, even while aware of the risk of sexual exploitation. They intend to demonstrate that Meta prioritized profits over child safety, citing evidence related to CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.

Meta’s defense contends they have actively worked to remove harmful content and have disclosed potential risks to users, asserting that the state must prove deception, not merely the presence of harmful content. The lawsuit is one of many filed by state attorneys general across the country, alleging Meta designs addictive features and neglects children’s mental health. A similar trial is also underway in California against Meta and Google.

The New Mexico case involves evidence gathered by state investigators posing as children on social media, documenting instances of solicitation. The Attorney General seeks changes to Meta’s age verification, content moderation, and algorithms, as well as a reevaluation of end-to-end encryption. Meta claims the investigation is flawed due to the methods used by prosecutors, including the use of proxy accounts and handling of data.

(Source：Insurance Journal)