New Mexico jury orders Meta to pay $375 million judgment in social media trial

A New Mexico jury ordered Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta on Tuesday to pay up to $375 million after it found the company was negligent in protecting minors from predators on its social media platforms.

The verdict comes as a Los Angeles jury in California is still deliberating its case, which accuses Meta and Google's YouTube of endangering the mental health of minors on the platforms through calibrated algorithms and other engineering tools, per Deadline.

Meta was convicted in New Mexico of violating the state's consumer protection laws, which carry a maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation under state law. Meta is also facing a public nuisance bench trial in New Mexico in May.

“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. "Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew. 

"Today the jury joined families, educators, and child safety experts in saying enough is enough," he continued. "New Mexico is proud to be the first state to hold Meta accountable in court for misleading parents, enabling child exploitation, and harming kids. 

"In the next phase of this legal proceeding, we will seek additional financial penalties and court-mandated changes to Meta’s platforms that offer stronger protections for children," he added.

The verdict comes after Snapchat and TikTok reached settlements in the Los Angeles case before the trial began last month.

Meta has not commented on the verdict, but is expected to appeal.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.