As New Mexico jury finds Meta platforms harm children, social media firms await more legal decisions
In March 2026, a New Mexico jury found that Meta platforms harmed children. The trial, held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, centered on accusations that the social media conglomerate misled users about the safety of its platforms for children.
The story so far
- Mar 20
- Mar 24
- Mar 25
How outlets cover it
5 outletsNot rated on the left–right scale. It describes Western party politics and doesn’t fit state media or outlets outside that system, so we show ownership and country instead.
Open questions and key claims
The jury's verdict is a historic victory.
Meta disagrees with the verdict and intends to appeal.
We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal.
Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public.
Internal Meta research found 16% of all Instagram users had reported being shown unwanted nudity or sexual activity in a single week.
A New Mexico jury found Meta harmful to children’s mental health.
Meta violated New Mexico's consumer protection law.
Meta executives knew their products harmed children.
Who and where
Related stories over time
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