Meta Fined $375 Million in Child Exploitation Case

Social media giant Meta Platforms has been found guilty in a child exploitation case and fined $375 million by a court in New Mexico on Tuesday.

According to the jury, the company misled users about the safety of its platforms and enabled various forms of harm, including the exploitation of children. A report by The Guardian noted that this is the first time a court has directly held Meta responsible for criminal activities occurring on its platforms.

Raúl Torrez welcomed the verdict, calling it a “historic victory” for children and families who have suffered due to what he described as Meta’s prioritization of profit over child safety.

He said Meta executives were aware that their products were harming children but ignored internal warnings and misled the public. “Today, the jury stood with families, educators, and child safety experts and made it clear—enough is enough,” he added.

The case was filed in December 2023 by the attorney general’s office. It was supported by a two-year investigative report by The Guardian, which revealed how platforms like Facebook and Instagram had been used as marketplaces for child trafficking. Findings from that investigation were presented as key evidence in court.

Meta has announced plans to appeal the ruling. A company spokesperson said the firm disagrees with the decision, adding that it works continuously to keep users safe and acknowledges the challenges of detecting and removing harmful content.

The company also accused the attorney general’s office of withholding information and presenting sensationalized arguments during the trial.