Meta misled users on safety, jury finds
▼ Summary
– A jury found Meta willfully violated New Mexico law by misleading users about product safety and using an unconscionable trade practice.
– The company faces a $375 million penalty, calculated as the maximum $5,000 fine for each of 37,500 violations across two counts.
– The jury ruled against Meta on every count but did not award the nearly $2 billion penalty the state had sought.
– The verdict was delivered just one day after the closing arguments in the trial.
– New Mexico’s case argued Meta misled consumers and facilitated child predators, violating state law.
A New Mexico jury has determined that Meta deliberately misled the public regarding the safety of its platforms, a decision that constitutes a significant legal defeat for the social media giant. The jury found the company willfully violated state consumer protection law through deceptive practices, classifying its actions as an unconscionable trade practice. This verdict, reached swiftly after closing arguments, results in a financial penalty of $375 million. The award represents the maximum statutory fine of $5,000 for each of the 37,500 violations identified across two separate counts.
While the jury ruled against Meta on every allegation presented by the state, the total penalty fell short of the potential $2 billion the state had sought. The case centered on accusations that Meta’s platforms not only provided misleading safety assurances to users but also created an environment that facilitated child predation. This outcome underscores growing legal and regulatory scrutiny over how major technology companies manage user safety and transparency. The substantial penalty highlights the serious consequences for corporations found to have engaged in widespread consumer deception, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over digital platform accountability.
(Source: The Verge)
