A high-stakes trial targeting Meta begins Monday in Santa Fe, where state officials aim to force sweeping changes to Facebook and Instagram over claims the platforms harm young users.
The case could reshape how social media companies design their products for minors. At its core, the lawsuit argues that Meta knowingly built addictive systems and failed to shield children from exploitation.
The legal battle enters its second phase after a March jury ruled against Meta, finding the company violated New Mexico’s consumer protection law. The jury also ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages for misleading users about the safety of its platforms.
Now, the court will decide a more complex question: whether Facebook and Instagram qualify as a “public nuisance” under state law. If the judge agrees, the ruling could unlock broad powers to impose structural changes on how the platforms operate.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is pushing for aggressive remedies. Court filings show the state wants billions more in damages and new safety rules aimed specifically at minors. These include stricter age verification, changes to recommendation algorithms to prioritize healthier content, and limits on features like autoplay and infinite scrolling.
Torrez has framed the case as a turning point for the tech industry. He told reporters the goal is to “set a new standard, not only in the state of New Mexico but nationally and potentially globally, for a new set of expectations for how social media companies are expected to conduct themselves.”
Meta rejects those claims. The company argues there is no clear scientific proof linking social media use to mental health problems among young people. It also warns that some proposed changes may be technically unworkable or too costly to implement.
In court filings, Meta suggested the demands could even force it to reconsider operating in the state.
“The New Mexico Attorney General’s focus on a single platform is a misguided strategy that ignores the hundreds of other apps teens use daily,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement ahead of the trial.
The case unfolds against a wider national backdrop. Thousands of lawsuits across the United States accuse Meta and other tech firms of designing addictive platforms that contribute to rising anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns among teens.
Meta has already signaled concern about growing legal pressure. In a recent warning to investors, the company said regulatory actions in the U.S. and European Union could “significantly impact our business and financial results.”
The outcome in New Mexico could set a legal precedent. A ruling that labels major social platforms as a public nuisance would mark a major shift in how courts treat digital products, and how far governments can go to regulate them.
