A New Mexico jury Tuesday ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding the company violated state law by misleading users about the security of its platforms and allegedly enabling the sexual exploitation of children.
Jurors found that the parent company of Facebook and Instagram violated New Mexico’s consumer protection law following a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Raul Torrez, who accused Meta of failing to protect children from predators.
“The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who paid the price for Meta’s choice to prioritize profits over children’s safety,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “Meta executives knew their products harmed children, ignored warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew. Today, the jury joined families, educators, and child safety experts in saying enough is enough.”
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on February 19 after defending the company in a historic reliance on social media. (Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The verdict marks a major legal victory for the state and is believed to be the first time a state has won a lawsuit against a major tech company over allegations it harmed children through its platforms, according to the New Mexico State Department of Justice.
Teleprinter Security Last Change Change % META META PLATFORMS INC. 592.92 -11.14 -1.84% The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by the state, alleged that Meta created a “breeding ground” for child predators and misled users about security protections on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
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A New Mexico jury found that Meta misled users and failed to protect children on the platform on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Pool / Unknown)
The $375 million penalty is significantly less than the roughly $2.1 billion New Mexico authorities sought, although the jury awarded the maximum allowed. under state law of $5,000 per violation.
Meta said she disagreed with the verdict and planned to appeal.
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Meta says she plans to appeal the decision. (Arda Kucukkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal,” a Meta spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and recognize the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content. We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves and remain confident in our ability to protect teens online.”
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The case is separate from a high-profile lawsuit in Los Angeles over claims social media platforms contribute to the dependence of young people.