Meta Faces Trial in New Mexico Over Child Exploitation Claims on Facebook, Instagram

• Meta is set to face trial in Santa Fe District Court, New Mexico, starting February 2, over allegations that Facebook and Instagram exposed children to sexual exploitation.
• The lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, stems from Operation MetaPhile, an undercover operation where investigators posing as minors were exposed to explicit content.
• Prosecutors allege Meta's platform design, including infinite scrolling and auto-play videos, facilitated exploitation and made it easy for predators to contact minors.
• Meta denies the claims, calling them "sensationalist" and arguing legal protection under the First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
• The trial's outcome could significantly impact social media regulation and accountability for child safety in the US, challenging existing legal protections.

Why It Matters: Meta faces a critical trial in New Mexico regarding child exploitation on its platforms, with major implications for tech regulation.