Jurors wade through daunting evidence in high-stakes Meta trial about social media risks to children

A stream of testimony and evidence has been presented in a New Mexico case exploring what Meta knew about the effects of its platforms on children.

State prosecutors allege Meta failed to disclose the risks that its platforms pose for children, including mental health problems and sexual exploitation. Meta’s attorneys have said the company has built-in protections for teenagers and weeds out harmful content but the company acknowledges some dangerous content gets past its safety nets.

Attorneys prepared for closing arguments to jurors next week after Meta on Friday closed out its showing of testimony and evidence and the trial completed its sixth week.

If jurors later find that Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — violated New Mexico’s consumer protection laws, prosecutors say sanctions could add up to billions of dollars. Meta, however, says it would seek a different calculation.

The trial that started Feb. 9. is one of the first in a torrent of lawsuits against Meta and comes as school districts and legislators want more restrictions on the use of smartphones in classrooms.

A slated second phase of the trial, possibly in May before a judge with no jury, would determine whether Meta created a public nuisance with its social media platforms and should pay for public programs to fix matters.