A pivotal trial begins Monday in New Mexico that could mandate fundamental changes to how Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp operate. The legal battle has escalated to the point where Meta Platforms has cautioned that it might be forced to pull its services from the state entirely if the court imposes certain requirements.
The lawsuit, brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, alleges that Meta designed its social media platforms to be addictive for young users and failed to implement adequate safeguards against child sexual exploitation. This phase of the trial centers on whether the company’s business practices constitute a “public nuisance” under state law.
This legal theory, traditionally used for issues like environmental pollution or blocking public roads, is now being tested against the tech industry. If the judge rules against Meta, it could open the door for sweeping court-ordered remedies. The outcome is being watched closely nationwide, as more than 40 other states and over 1,300 school districts have filed similar claims.
This trial follows a previous legal setback for Meta in March, where a jury found the company violated consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the safety of its platforms. That ruling resulted in a $375 million damages award.
In this new phase, the Attorney General’s office is reportedly seeking billions in additional damages and strict operational mandates, including:
Mandatory age verification for all users.
Ending features like infinite scrolling and autoplay for minors.
Redesigning algorithms to prioritize quality content for younger audiences.
Attorney General Torrez noted that the proceedings offer a chance to examine “the size and scale and effectively the monetary value of the public nuisance harm that was a product of this business’s behavior for the last, you know, 10 or 15 years.”
Meta has vigorously defended its practices, arguing that the state’s demands are technically impossible to meet and ignore the broader digital landscape.
A Meta spokesperson stated, “The New Mexico Attorney General’s focus on a single platform is a misguided strategy that ignores the hundreds of other apps teens use daily. Rather than providing comprehensive protections, the state’s proposed mandates infringe on parental rights and stifle free expression for all New Mexicans.”
The company has also pushed back against the financial demands, specifically a reported request for $3.7 billion to fund a 15-year mental health initiative.
Meta argued in court filings that such a request would unfairly force the company to pay for the mental healthcare of all teenagers in the state, regardless of whether their issues were linked to social media use.
Meta maintains that there is no scientific consensus linking social media to mental health crises and asserts that it has not interfered with any public rights.
However, the company recently warned investors that increasing regulatory and legal pressure in both the U.S. and the EU “could significantly impact our business and financial results.”
