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Meta is moving aggressively to limit the evidence a New Mexico court can consider in a case accusing the company of failing to protect children on its platforms.
The lawsuit, filed in late 2023, could shape how US states hold tech giants accountable for child safety online.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has accused Meta of allowing online predators, child trafficking, and sexually explicit content to flourish on Facebook and Instagram.
The state claims Meta failed to implement strong safeguards to prevent minors from being exposed to harmful content. The case marks the first state-level trial of its kind and is scheduled to begin on February 2 in New Mexico.
Court records reviewed by Wired show Meta wants to exclude a wide range of material from the trial. These include internal research on social media’s impact on teen mental health, reports linking social media use to teen suicides, and surveys about inappropriate content on its platforms.
Meta is also seeking to keep its financial details, past privacy violations, and references to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s college years out of court.
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Legal experts say companies often attempt to narrow evidence, but Meta’s requests stand out for their breadth. The company has even asked the court to bar references to its AI chatbots and internal safety assessments.
Meta has also moved to exclude mention of a public health advisory issued by former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, which warned about social media’s impact on youth mental health.
The outcome could establish new legal standards for upcoming cases, which will examine digital platforms and their impact on child safety protection. The New Mexico trial will impact court decisions about how to assess Big Tech companies’ internal studies, their public health warnings, and their responsibility for platform content.
The case has gained national recognition because of its upcoming start date, which will begin next month and examine Meta’s security procedures.
