A bench trial begins Monday in New Mexico to determine whether Meta’s actions amount to a public nuisance and what changes the company may be required to implement. In March, a jury ordered Meta to pay a $375 million penalty. Today, a judge will take a closer look at the case, with Attorney General Raul Torrez requesting 28 major changes to Meta’s platforms aimed at protecting children. These changes include blocking users under 13 from accessing the apps, deleting existing underage accounts and banning adults involved in child sexual exploitation after one offense. Meta has described the state’s demands as “technically impractical” and “impossible for any company to meet.” The company has also warned that if no solution is reached, it could shut off access to its platforms in New Mexico entirely. KOAT legal expert John Day explained the trial process, saying, “The attorney general gets to go first, put their case on, Meta puts its case in chief on in defense, and then it’s going to be up to a Santa Fe judge to decide, do I come down on the side of the attorney general? Do I side with Meta? Or is there something in between that the judge is going to do?” Day also suggested that Meta’s warning about shutting off access may be a negotiating tactic. “The threat of shutting off access to New Mexicans for a lot of very popular and well-used social media platforms does carry some risk with it because Meta technically could shut down the use in New Mexico of its platforms,” Day said.This bench trial, where the judge alone will hear the case and make a decision without a jury, could take a few hours or several days.
A bench trial begins Monday in New Mexico to determine whether Meta’s actions amount to a public nuisance and what changes the company may be required to implement.
In March, a jury ordered Meta to pay a $375 million penalty. Today, a judge will take a closer look at the case, with Attorney General Raul Torrez requesting 28 major changes to Meta’s platforms aimed at protecting children. These changes include blocking users under 13 from accessing the apps, deleting existing underage accounts and banning adults involved in child sexual exploitation after one offense.
Meta has described the state’s demands as “technically impractical” and “impossible for any company to meet.” The company has also warned that if no solution is reached, it could shut off access to its platforms in New Mexico entirely.
KOAT legal expert John Day explained the trial process, saying, “The attorney general gets to go first, put their case on, Meta puts its case in chief on in defense, and then it’s going to be up to a Santa Fe judge to decide, do I come down on the side of the attorney general? Do I side with Meta? Or is there something in between that the judge is going to do?”
Day also suggested that Meta’s warning about shutting off access may be a negotiating tactic.
“The threat of shutting off access to New Mexicans for a lot of very popular and well-used social media platforms does carry some risk with it because Meta technically could shut down the use in New Mexico of its platforms,” Day said.
This bench trial, where the judge alone will hear the case and make a decision without a jury, could take a few hours or several days.
