Meta Platforms is set to face trial next week in a lawsuit brought by the state of New Mexico accusing it of exposing children and teens to sexual exploitation on its platforms and profiting from it, the first case of its kind against the social media giant to reach a jury.
The lawsuit, brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, alleges the company promoted illegal content and enabled the sexual exploitation of children on its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms. The lawsuit claims Meta allowed predators unfettered access to underage users and connected them with victims, often leading to real-world abuse and human trafficking. The trial, which is set to begin with jury selection on Monday in Santa Fe District Court, is expected to last seven or eight weeks. Meta denies the allegations and says it has extensive safeguards in place to protect younger users.
