US court sentences Meta to pay $350 million fine

A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in fines after finding that the company misled consumers about the security of its platforms and allowed users to suffer harm, including the sexual exploitation of children.

This is the first such trial, as a result of which the court found Meta responsible for actions committed on its platforms.

“This verdict is a historic victory for every child and every family who paid the price for Meta’s decision to put profits before children’s safety,” said state Attorney General Raul Torres. According to him, the company’s management knew about the harm that its products caused children, ignored the warnings of its own employees and lied to the public.

The lawsuit was filed by the State Attorney’s Office in December 2023 based on a two-year investigation by The Guardian published in April of that year, which revealed how Facebook and Instagram had become platforms for child sex trafficking.

Meta announced its intention to appeal the decision.