On March 24, 2026, a jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico found **Meta Platforms** guilty of endangering children on its platform and ordered the company to pay **$375 million** in a civil penalty. After a nearly seven-week trial, the jury ruled that Meta violated New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act. Meta was accused of making false or misleading statements about the safety of the platform, using “unfair” practices, and failing to protect minors from child sexual exploitation, online predators, seducers, and mental health harm. The jury identified thousands of violations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez called the decision “a historic victory for every child and family.” He said Meta executives knew about these threats, ignored internal warnings, and prioritized profits over security. The state’s 2023 lawsuit alleged that Meta’s algorithms and features created a “haven” for predators while misleading users and parents.
Meta said it “politely disagrees” with the decision and plans to appeal it. The company says it invests heavily in security tools to combat harmful content and exploits, although it acknowledges the challenges it poses.
The $375 million fine is less than the more than $2 billion that government lawyers had sought. The second phase of the trial, which will begin approximately May 4, will see the judge consider possible additional measures or necessary changes to Meta’s platform and operations.
It is the first jury verdict against a major social media company in a wave of child safety lawsuits in the US. Similar cases against Meta and YouTube are ongoing in Los Angeles, while Snapchat and TikTok have settled related lawsuits. The decision could have implications for broader regulatory scrutiny of tech platforms and their responsibilities towards underage users. Meta faces a number of ongoing legal challenges over issues related to mental health and exploitation of youth across the country.
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