Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg are navigating a wave of legal setbacks as recent court rulings in New Mexico and California hold the social media giant accountable for harms to children. Following a series of jury verdicts, Meta has signaled it may withdraw platforms such as Facebook and Instagram from New Mexico if the state continues to pursue certain regulatory changes.
In a recent trial in Los Angeles, a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young user through addictive design features that damaged her mental health. The case involved testimony from tech executives, including Mark Zuckerberg. The jury awarded $2.1 million in damages from Meta and $900,000 from YouTube to the 20-year-old plaintiff, who testified that features like infinite scrolling contributed to her depression. This verdict marks the first time tech companies have been held accountable for design harms to minors.
In a separate trial in New Mexico, a jury found that Meta willfully violated state consumer protection laws, resulting in an order for the company to pay $375 million in damages. This litigation follows a December 2023 lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez against Meta and Mark Zuckerberg, alleging the platforms harmed children's mental health and exposed them to sexual exploitation.
As a bench trial approaches in Santa Fe on May 4, 2026, the New Mexico Department of Justice intends to argue that Meta's activities constitute a public nuisance. The state is seeking to mandate changes such as banning infinite scroll and autoplay during school and sleep hours, and capping usage for children at 90 hours per month. Meta has responded by calling these demands technically impractical and impossible to meet, stating that implementing them might force the company to withdraw its apps from New Mexico entirely.
The recent verdicts have strengthened legal efforts in other states, including Utah. Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that these rulings affirm the state's approach to protecting children and increased his resolve to pursue legal action against Meta. More than 40 states have taken legal action against Meta, with Utah's lawsuit dating back to 2023, seeking damages for the well-being of Utah children.
