By MORGAN LEE
Updated 4:08 AM PDT, March 23, 2026
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Closing arguments are set for Monday in a significant trial in New Mexico, where Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms, is accused of misleading users regarding the safety of its services for children.
Following the closing arguments, jurors will deliberate after six weeks of testimony from numerous witnesses, including educators, mental health professionals, state officials, and former Meta employees.
This case is among the first of various lawsuits related to social media platforms and their effects on minors to reach trial.
Prosecutors in New Mexico have charged Meta, which oversees Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, with placing profits above user safety, allegedly breaching state consumer protection laws. Concerns have been voiced regarding the safety of intricate algorithms and various messaging features.
Meta’s legal team counters these claims, asserting that the company enforces protections for teens and eliminates harmful content, even while conceding that some risky postings may evade their safety measures.
The trial will proceed to a second phase, where a judge will determine if Meta should be deemed a public nuisance and liable for financial contributions to programs aimed at mitigating the alleged negative impacts on children.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez initiated the lawsuit in 2023, asserting that Meta has cultivated a “marketplace” conducive to child exploitation and neglected to reveal the dangers involved. State investigators even created social media profiles posing as minors to document instances of online sexual solicitation and Meta’s reactions.
Meta’s attorneys argue that the company provides users with honest insights about its rigorous yet imperfect methods for combating child sexual abuse material, while also accusing prosecutors of selectively presenting evidence and conducting a flawed investigation.
Meta officials have highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to enhancing safety and addressing issues of excessive social media use without compromising free speech or censoring users.
A jury formed from Santa Fe County residents, which includes the politically progressive state capital, will determine if Meta violated the Unfair Practices Act across three counts, including allegations of “unconscionable” trade practices.
If the jury finds intentional violations, fines of up to $5,000 per infraction could be imposed. Prosecutors indicate that total fines could reach billions of dollars due to Meta’s extensive user base in New Mexico, although Meta argues for an alternate calculation.
Under Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act, tech companies have generally been shielded from liability for user-generated content, alongside protections from the First Amendment.
Prosecutors clarify that New Mexico is not pursuing accountability for content on Meta’s platforms but rather for the facilitation of harmful content through complex algorithms that promote addictive material detrimental to children.
In California, a separate jury is currently deliberating whether Meta and YouTube should be held liable for damages incurred by minors using their platforms. This landmark case could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.
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