Meta fined $375 million for endangering children

It took less than a day of deliberation. The jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, wasted no time in reaching its verdict. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, was found guilty of endangering minors. Mark Zuckerberg's group was ordered to pay $375 million in damages to the state of New Mexico.

Why such a lawsuit against Meta?

The complaint was filed in 2023 by the state attorney general, Raul Torrez. His investigation relied on a radical method. Agents created fake social media accounts, posing as children. They were able to detect if sexual solicitations were being made and observe Meta's reaction to these reports. The prosecutor argued that the group's apps had become a prime destination for predators. They could exchange child pornography and solicit sexual favors from minors. The jury agreed, finding that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the risks its platforms posed to children. It knowingly prioritized profits over safety. A 6-hour hearing for Mark Zuckerberg: The California trial brought to light other damning evidence. Mark Zuckerberg was questioned for over six hours on February 18. He acknowledged that Instagram only began asking for the date of birth of new users in 2019 and of existing accounts in 2021. An internal document from 2018, revealed to the court, estimated that 4 million Instagram accounts belonged to children under 13 in 2015 (30% of whom were 10-12 year olds). These revelations are quite chilling, but we have more to share. In 2023, only 1.1% of teenagers used the feature for usage limits and 2% used the one for taking a break. These are the very regulatory tools that Meta was touting as proof of its good faith.

Towards a ban on social media?

Prosecutor Raul Torrez hailed a historic victory. Meta, for its part, announced it would appeal. But the decision immediately sets a legal precedent in a country where hundreds of similar cases are underway.

TikTok and Snapchat had already reached out-of-court settlements. Google is still facing a California jury, which is struggling to reach a verdict regarding YouTube. In June 2026, a very important federal trial will bring Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat together in Oakland. The tech giants are being sued this time by school districts across the country for the costs associated with the mental health crisis among young people.

Social media is clearly in the crosshairs, because let's not forget that several countries are considering banning social media for minors.