New Mexico jury finds Meta violated consumer protection law at trial about child safety

ABC News
March 24, 2026
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

New Mexico jury found Meta violated consumer protection law by failing to disclose child safety risks on Facebook and Instagram.

How This Affects You

If you have children using Meta platforms, this ruling establishes legal precedent that the company failed to properly warn about harms, potentially strengthening future claims for damages and forcing disclosure improvements.

AI Summary

A New Mexico jury found Meta violated the state's consumer protection law by failing to disclose risks posed by its platforms to children. The verdict follows a trial focused on the company's handling of child safety issues across its social media services, which include Facebook and Instagram. The ruling represents a legal setback for Meta as states increasingly scrutinize how tech platforms protect minors from harmful content and addictive features. The decision could expose Meta to damages and set a precedent for similar lawsuits in other jurisdictions challenging the company's disclosure practices regarding child users. The verdict underscores broader regulatory pressure on social media companies over their responsibility in safeguarding young users.

What's Being Done

The verdict exposes Meta to potential damages and sets precedent for similar lawsuits in other states challenging the company's child safety disclosure practices.

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