Meta faces New Mexico trial over child-exploitation claims next week

New Mexico accuses Meta of exposing children and teens to sexual exploitation on its platforms; jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in Santa Fe District Court.

New Mexico is taking Meta to trial, alleging the company exposed children and teens to sexual exploitation on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The suit, brought by Attorney General Raúl Torrez, says the platforms allowed predators access to underage users and cites an undercover operation called "Operation MetaPhile." Meta denies the allegations and says it has safeguards in place; the company has also cited First Amendment and Section 230 defenses. Jury selection is scheduled to start Monday in Santa Fe District Court and the trial is expected to last seven to eight weeks. Key facts: - The state alleges Meta promoted illegal content and enabled sexual exploitation of minors on its social platforms, citing internal company documents in its complaint. - The case grew from a 2023 undercover effort named "Operation MetaPhile," during which investigators created accounts appearing to be younger than 14 and later led to criminal charges against three individuals. - Meta has denied the claims, called some state arguments misleading, and pointed to steps it says it has taken to protect younger users. - The trial will begin with jury selection on Monday in Santa Fe and is expected to continue for several weeks. Summary: The state seeks monetary damages and court-ordered changes to how Meta’s platforms operate for younger users, according to the complaint and filings. The immediate next step is jury selection on Monday in Santa Fe District Court, with testimony and documents expected to be presented over the course of the trial.