New Mexico AG Statement on Meta Jury Ruling and Child Safety

AG: New Mexico Press Releases

Filed March 25th, 2026

Detected March 25th, 2026

Summary

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez issued a statement following a California jury ruling against Meta, emphasizing accountability for tech companies regarding child safety. The statement highlights Meta's responsibility for design choices that jeopardize children and notes New Mexico's prior trial victory against Meta, resulting in $375 million in civil penalties.

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What changed

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has issued a statement following a jury ruling in California against Meta, framing it as a critical step towards holding tech companies accountable for design choices that endanger child safety. The statement references New Mexico's own successful trial against Meta, which resulted in $375 million in civil penalties for violating consumer protection laws. The AG's office is pursuing further action in a bench trial scheduled for May 4th, seeking injunctive relief including effective age verification, removal of predators, and protection of minors from encrypted communications.

This statement signals a continued focus on prioritizing children's safety over corporate profits within the tech industry. Compliance officers at technology companies, particularly those with social media platforms, should note the increasing legal scrutiny and potential for significant penalties and mandated operational changes. The upcoming bench trial in New Mexico could lead to further specific requirements for Meta's platforms, setting precedents for industry-wide practices concerning child protection and platform design.

What to do next

Review internal policies and platform design features related to child safety and user age verification.
Monitor ongoing litigation and potential injunctive relief in the New Mexico bench trial scheduled for May 4th.
Assess compliance with consumer protection laws concerning deceptive practices and platform design impacting minors.

Penalties

Maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation, totaling $375 million in civil penalties awarded in the California trial. Further damages and injunctive relief are sought in the New Mexico trial.

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STATEMENT: New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez Statement in Response to California Jury Ruling Against Meta

March 25, 2026

Santa Fe, NM – In response to today’s jury ruling in the L.A. County JCCP trial, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez issued the following statement:

“Today’s verdict is another critical step toward justice that puts Meta and other big tech executives on notice that they cannot evade responsibility for design choices that jeopardize child safety,” said Attorney General Torrez. “Juries in New Mexico and California have recognized that Meta’s public deception and design features are putting children in harm’s way. In the next phase of New Mexico’s trial, my number one priority remains changing the company’s longstanding and dangerous practice of prioritizing profits over children’s safety. We will seek court-mandated changes to Meta’s platforms that offer protections for kids.”

After winning a landmark verdict this week, New Mexico is the first state in the nation to prevail at trial against a major tech company for harming young people. The jury ordered Meta to pay the maximum penalty under the law of $5,000 per violation, totaling $375 million in civil penalties for violating New Mexico’s consumer protection laws.

The NMDOJ’s final claim against Meta will be heard via a bench trial that is scheduled to begin on May 4th. During the bench trial, the NMDOJ will argue its public nuisance case and seek injunctive relief that requires Meta to pay additional damages and make specific changes to its platforms and company operations, including enacting effective age verification, removing predators from the platform, and protecting minors from encrypted communications that shield bad actors.