Meta Accused of Enabling Child Exploitation in Mexico, Profiting from It
Meta is set to face trial in New Mexico over allegations that it exposed children and teens to sexual exploitation on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and profited from it.
The lawsuit, brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, claims that Meta allowed predators to access underage users, connected them with victims, and enabled real-world abuse and human trafficking.
The trial, which starts Monday in Santa Fe District Court, is expected to last seven or eight weeks. Meta denies the allegations, stating that it has extensive safeguards in place to protect younger users. The company says it has taken steps to reduce youth engagement and growth to promote safety .
The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s design features, such as infinite scroll and auto-play videos, foster addictive behavior that can lead to depression, anxiety, and self-harm in children. Internal company documents reportedly acknowledged problems with sexual exploitation and mental health harms, but the company didn’t institute basic safety tools like age verification .
The case grew out of an undercover operation, “Operation MetaPhile,” where investigators created accounts on Facebook and Instagram posing as users younger than 14. The accounts received sexually explicit material and were contacted by adults seeking similar content, leading to criminal charges against three individuals .
Meta has argued that it’s shielded from liability by the free-speech protections of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The company says the state’s allegations are “sensationalist, irrelevant and distracting” and based on cherry-picked documents. #Meta Accused of Enabling Child Exploitation in Mexico, Profiting from It#
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