New Mexico’s attorney general Raúl Torrez is advancing new legal measures targeting technology companies’ child safety practices following major courtroom victories against Meta. The state’s legislation, expected to be unveiled in coming weeks, aims to establish stronger consumer protections and child safety standards across social media and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and chatbots.
Torrez’s efforts follow a significant court decision earlier this year where a jury determined that Meta misled users about platform safety and enabled harm including child sexual exploitation. The verdict resulted in a $375 million fine during the first phase of litigation. In a second phase concluded earlier this month, a judge ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million, bringing the company’s total liability across both phases to $942 million. The ruling also mandated a series of platform reforms lasting five years, including age verification systems, enhanced protections against child sexual exploitation, restrictions on push notifications, and mandatory time limits for users under 18. Funding from the penalty will primarily support youth mental health treatment, with additional resources directed toward prevention and screening initiatives.
Torrez indicated that internal company communications obtained during the litigation revealed Meta’s extensive knowledge of both mental health harms and child sexual exploitation occurring on its platforms. The attorney general’s office is continuing to pursue additional cases, including a third lawsuit against Meta involving data privacy matters scheduled for trial in September, as well as an upcoming case against an artificial intelligence company over a chatbot that has created emotional attachment bonds with children.
The New Mexico litigation has attracted significant attention from other jurisdictions and legal entities. Multiple states, municipalities, school districts and private parties have expressed interest in studying the case’s legal strategy with potential plans to pursue similar actions. A federal multidistrict litigation involving 29 states and a separate Los Angeles jury verdict against Meta and YouTube underscore broader legal pressure facing the technology sector. According to court filings, potential damages across state attorney general cases could exceed $1.4 trillion, representing stakes that could substantially impact the company’s operations.
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