Jury orders Meta to pay $375 million in New Mexico lawsuit over child sexual exploitation, user safety [View all]

Source: NBC News

A New Mexico jury on Tuesday found Meta Platforms META.O violated state law in a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general, who accused the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and of enabling child sexual exploitation on those platforms.

The jury found that Meta violated New Mexico’s consumer protection law and ordered the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties.

The jury’s decision capped a six-week trial and marked the first jury verdict on these claims against the social media company, as it faces a broader challenge over how its platforms affect young people’s mental health.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, accused the company of allowing predators unfettered access to underage users and connecting them with victims, often leading to real-world abuse and human trafficking.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/jury-orders-meta-pay-375-million-new-mexico-lawsuit-child-sexual-explo-rcna265002