New Mexico takes Meta to trial over alleged harm to young users

A high-stakes trial is set to begin Monday in New Mexico, where state officials will argue that Meta Platforms’ Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp products have harmed young users’ mental health and should be forced to undergo major design changes.

The case, being heard in Santa Fe, follows a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who accuses the company of deliberately designing its platforms to be addictive for children and failing to protect minors from sexual exploitation online.

It marks the second phase of the legal battle after a jury earlier this year found Meta violated state consumer protection laws by misleading users about the safety of Facebook and Instagram for young people, ordering $375 million in damages.

In this phase, a judge will decide whether Meta’s platforms constitute a “public nuisance” under New Mexico law — a ruling that could allow sweeping court-ordered reforms. 

The state is seeking additional damages and structural changes including age verification tools, algorithm adjustments to prioritise healthier content for minors, and the removal of features such as autoplay and infinite scroll for younger users.

Meta has denied wrongdoing, arguing in court filings that there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking its platforms to mental health harms. 

The company also warned that some of the proposed changes could be technically unfeasible and might even force it to stop operating in the state.

A Meta spokesperson said the lawsuit wrongly focuses on a single platform while ignoring broader industry-wide usage among teens.

The case is part of a wider wave of litigation across the United States targeting social media companies over alleged harm to children and teens.