---
title: "Meta was fined $375 million in a child safety case after a jury found it violated consumer protection laws"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/280494657.md"
description: "Meta Platforms was ordered to pay a fine of $375 million for violating consumer protection laws related to child safety in New Mexico. The jury found that Meta lied about the safety of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and facilitated child trafficking, with 75,000 violations. Meta plans to appeal, stating that it has taken measures to protect users and maintain transparency. The case stems from a covert operation in 2023, where investigators created accounts as minors, supporting claims that the platform did not take sufficient measures. Despite a slight increase in stock price, legal risks remain"
datetime: "2026-03-25T14:50:37.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/280494657.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/280494657.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/280494657.md)
---

> Supported Languages: [简体中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/280494657.md) | [繁體中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/280494657.md)


# Meta was fined $375 million in a child safety case after a jury found it violated consumer protection laws

Meta Platforms was ordered to pay a civil fine of $375 million after a jury in New Mexico found that the company violated the state's consumer protection laws related to platform child safety.

During the six-week trial, the state claimed that Meta lied about the safety of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and contributed to child trafficking activities. The jury found that the company had committed 75,000 violations in less than a day, imposing a $5,000 fine for each violation.

Meta plans to appeal the ruling, stating that it has taken numerous measures to protect users and maintain transparency in its actions. The company argued that the First Amendment and Section 230 protect it from lawsuits arising from user-generated content. The court dismissed such arguments and allowed the case to proceed.

The case originated from a covert operation in 2023, where state investigators created accounts as minors. Adults sent pornographic messages and content to these accounts, supporting claims that the platform did not take sufficient measures to prevent harm.

The first jury conviction against Meta comes amid thousands of allegations regarding adolescent mental health and platform design. Although the company's stock price rose 0.8% in after-hours trading, the legal shadow remains a concern

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