A jury in New Mexico has delivered a significant verdict against social media giant Meta, determining that the company’s practices have damaged children’s mental health and violated state consumer protection laws.
The jurors concluded that Meta participated in what they called “unconscionable” business practices, deliberately exploiting young users’ vulnerabilities and lack of experience. The ruling found that Meta committed thousands of separate infractions, with each violation contributing to a massive $375 million financial penalty against the company.
During the proceedings, jurors were shown a recorded deposition from Meta’s Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on March 4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as part of the evidence presented in the case.
This landmark decision marks a significant legal victory for child safety advocates and represents one of the most substantial financial penalties imposed on a major social media platform for alleged harm to minors. The verdict specifically focused on how Meta’s business model and platform design may have negatively impacted the mental health and overall safety of children using their services.
