Overview
A judge in Santa Fe is scheduled to hear the second phase of New Mexico Attorney General Ra l Torrez 's lawsuit against Meta Platforms when a trial begins on Monday testing claims that Meta 's services harmed young people. The case centers on allegations that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were designed in ways that foster addiction among minors and left children vulnerable to sexual exploitation on the platforms.
The matter now before the court follows a March jury finding that Meta violated New Mexico 's consumer protection law and resulted in an award of $375 million in damages. During the current phase, the judge will weigh whether those social media services rise to the level of a "public nuisance" under New Mexico law - a conclusion that, if reached, could allow a judge to impose broad remedies aimed at reducing harms to young users.
What the state is seeking
Court filings from the attorney general 's office indicate prosecutors will ask for both additional monetary relief running into the billions and specific operational changes for New Mexico users. Among the structural measures sought are:
- age verification for users,
- redesigning recommendation algorithms to promote higher-quality content for minors, and
- ending features such as autoplay and infinite scroll for underage accounts.
Prosecutors say those remedies are necessary to curb the alleged negative effects of the platforms on young people. Attorney General Torrez told reporters his goal for the litigation is to "set a new standard, not only in the state of New Mexico but nationally and potentially globally, for a new set of expectations for how social media companies are expected to conduct themselves."
Meta's position
Meta has defended its practices and highlighted steps it says it has taken to keep young people safe. In filings ahead of the trial, the company asserted there is no scientific evidence supporting the proposition that social media has caused mental health problems. Meta also warned that many of the changes the state seeks would be impracticable to implement and could force the company to stop offering services in New Mexico.
In a pre-trial statement, a Meta spokesperson argued that "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." The company has also cautioned investors that mounting legal and regulatory pressure in the European Union and the U.S. "could significantly impact our business and financial results," according to court filings and public disclosures.
Broader context in litigation
The New Mexico case is one of thousands of lawsuits alleging that Meta and other social media companies intentionally designed their products to be addictive to young people, contributing to a nationwide mental health crisis. The ongoing litigation landscape includes both private suits and public enforcement actions that challenge how platforms operate and how they protect minors.
As the Santa Fe trial proceeds, the judge 's findings on whether Facebook and Instagram constitute a public nuisance will determine whether a court can prescribe platform-wide changes limited to New Mexico users and whether additional damages will be awarded beyond the $375 million previously ordered by a jury.
Implications for stakeholders
The outcome could affect a range of parties, including the company itself, technology platforms serving minors, regulators and investors monitoring legal risk. The case specifically raises questions about enforcement tools under state public nuisance law and the feasibility of court-imposed product design changes for a large social network.
Reporting details in this article are drawn from court filings, public statements and comments made by the attorney general 's office and Meta ahead of the trial.