Washington (United States) (AFP) – A New Mexico jury on Tuesday found social media giant Meta liable for endangering children by making them vulnerable to predators on its platforms and other dangers. The verdict came after roughly a day of deliberations following a six-week trial in which the state accused Facebook and Instagram’s parent company of failing to protect minors from sexual abuse, online solicitation, and human trafficking. The state had sought the maximum $2.2 billion in damages, but the jury awarded a lesser amount of $375 million.
The case, tried in a Santa Fe court, is among the first involving social media platforms and child safety to produce a jury verdict. “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,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, who brought the case. “Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew,” he added.
Meta said it would challenge the decision. “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal,” a company spokesperson said. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content.”
The jury reached its verdict following a trial that heard testimony from 40 witnesses, including employees-turned-whistle-blowers, and reviewed hundreds of documents, reports, and emails. Torrez filed suit in 2023 against Meta — parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, alleging the company failed to protect children from online dangers.
During closing arguments, prosecution attorney Linda Singer told jurors that Meta’s algorithms had directed adults toward content posted by teenage users while the company concealed internal findings about the risks to young people. The jury found Meta violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act by misleading consumers about the safety of its products for children.
A second phase of proceedings is scheduled to begin May 4, when a judge will hear the state’s claim that Meta should be ordered to pay additional penalties and make specific changes to its platforms and company operations. A separate jury in California is weighing whether Meta and YouTube should be held liable for harms caused to children on their platforms, including by making them addictive. That case is considered a bellwether that could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies across the United States.
© 2024 AFP
