A New Mexico jury has found Meta, formerly known as Facebook, guilty of willfully violating state law by misleading users about the safety of its products. The jury determined that Meta engaged in an unconscionable trade practice, resulting in a $375 million penalty for the company. This penalty was imposed for 37,500 violations across two counts, with each violation incurring the maximum penalty of $5,000.
The verdict, delivered just one day after closing arguments, marks a significant legal outcome for Meta. New Mexico’s case against Meta centered on allegations of misleading consumers and enabling child predators on the platform. The state conducted a sting operation using decoy accounts on Facebook, which purported to be minors, attracting unwanted attention from adults.
Meta contested the accusations, refuting the state’s claims and emphasizing the integrity of its product safety disclosures. Despite the jury ruling against Meta on all counts, the awarded penalty fell short of the state’s original request, which aimed for a much higher sum closer to $2 billion.
Looking ahead, a similar case involving Meta’s product safety is pending in Los Angeles, with an impending verdict expected. This legal action, along with several other cases awaiting trial, underscores the growing scrutiny faced by tech platforms over their content moderation practices and user safety protocols.
Source: The Verge