A jury in New Mexico has ruled against Meta Platforms, ordering the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties for violating the state’s consumer protection laws.
The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, found that Meta misled users about the safety of its platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—and failed to adequately protect children from harm, including sexual exploitation and negative impacts on mental health.
The jury determined that Meta engaged in unconscionable trade practices by prioritising profits over user safety and concealing known risks to young users.
The penalty represents the maximum fine of $5,000 per violation under New Mexico law, applied across thousands of documented instances identified during the nearly seven-week trial.
This decision marks the first time a US state has successfully held the social media giant liable in court over child safety concerns.
The outcome is widely viewed as a significant development in ongoing efforts to regulate major technology companies and compel greater accountability for content moderation and platform design.
Meta is expected to appeal the ruling, while the case sets a notable precedent for future litigation regarding the protection of minors on digital platforms.
