A New Mexico judge has approved Mark Zuckerberg's request to be removed from a lawsuit alleging that his company, Meta, failed to protect young users on its social media platforms from sexual exploitation. This lawsuit is part of a larger trend of legal actions filed by states, school districts, and parents against Meta over concerns about child exploitation.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez initiated the lawsuit against Meta and Zuckerberg following an undercover online investigation. While Zuckerberg was granted his request to be dropped from the case, the judge dismissed Meta's motion to dismiss the state's claims, allowing the lawsuit to proceed against the social media giant.
The lawsuit in New Mexico is significant as it is the first case by a state attorney general to raise child sexual exploitation claims against social media platforms. The state's prosecutors argue that Meta's platforms use complex algorithms that push out harmful content, contributing to a youth mental health crisis.
Separately, attorneys general from 33 states, including California and New York, have raised concerns that Instagram and Facebook have features designed to hook children and exacerbate mental health issues among young users.
Despite the dismissal of Zuckerberg from the lawsuit, the judge left open the possibility for him to be named individually in the future depending on the evidence presented as the case progresses against Meta.
Meta's attorneys argued that the company should not be held liable in New Mexico as its platforms are available worldwide, and users agree to terms of service upon signing up. Prosecutors, however, maintain that the focus is on Meta's design features and algorithms that promote harmful content.
New Mexico's lawsuit against Meta has revealed internal documents suggesting that about 100,000 children are subjected to sexual harassment on the company's platforms daily.
Meta has refuted allegations of prioritizing profits over user safety, stating that it employs technology to prevent suspicious adults from interacting with children on its apps and collaborates with law enforcement to combat offenders.
Recent charges were filed against three men for using Meta's platforms to solicit sex with children, following an undercover operation by the state Department of Justice. The investigation began around the time New Mexico filed its lawsuit against Meta.
