PBS | A New Mexico jury has imposed a $375 million civil penalty after finding Meta’s platforms are harmful to children. It’s a relatively small price to pay for a company that had $201 billion in revenue in 2025, but the ruling itself is a massive win.

In particular, the outcome of this and similar lawsuits could challenge Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their platforms.

In addition, rulings could require Meta and other social media platforms to implement changes, including increased user protections and other changes to how they manage their platforms.

The New Mexico case was filed in 2023 and centered on adults posing as children and soliciting children for sexual exploitation. The jury’s decision was based on Meta’s violation of state consumer protection laws. The $375 million judgment was the total of penalties for thousands of such violations.
A Los Angeles County case is currently with jurors for deliberation. That case argues that social media platforms were designed to be addictive, especially for minors. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial. Meta and YouTube are still defendants in the case. The results of the case could affect thousands of similar lawsuits.
Another trial, set to begin midyear, names multiple school districts as plaintiffs seeking to hold social media companies responsible for addiction. The premise is the same as that used to hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for opioid addiction.

Social media companies have countered that their products are not addictive and scientific studies have not proven that social media harms mental health.

Full PBS article: What's next in social media legal battles after a New Mexico jury finds Meta platforms harm children