The lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, alleges that Meta enabled illegal content and allowed predators to access and contact underage users on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, in some cases leading to real-world abuse and human trafficking, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in Santa Fe District Court, with the trial expected to last seven to eight weeks.
Meta has denied the allegations, saying it has invested heavily in safeguards to protect young users. The company argues it is shielded from liability under the US Constitution’s First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally protects online platforms from lawsuits over user-generated content.
The case stems from a 2023 undercover operation by the New Mexico Attorney General’s office, in which investigators posed as users under 14 and reported receiving sexually explicit material and messages from adults.
The state is seeking financial damages and a court order requiring Meta to introduce stronger child-safety measures. The trial comes as Meta faces growing scrutiny and multiple lawsuits nationwide over child safety and the mental health impact of social media on young users.
