Meta Considers Withdrawing Facebook and Instagram from New Mexico Amid Child Safety Legal Battle
Meta threatens to pull Facebook and Instagram from New Mexico over child safety trial requirements
Fox Business
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Meta Platforms, Inc. is threatening to withdraw Facebook and Instagram from New Mexico due to legal requirements aimed at enhancing child safety on its platforms. Following a $375 million jury award for misleading consumers about safety, the state seeks stringent measures including a 99% accuracy threshold for verifying users' ages.
- 01Meta threatens to exit New Mexico if forced to comply with stringent child safety measures.
- 02A jury awarded $375 million to New Mexico for misleading consumers about child safety.
- 03The state demands Meta to verify that users are at least 13 years old with 99% accuracy.
- 04New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez criticizes Meta for prioritizing profit over child safety.
- 05Meta plans to appeal the jury's decision and argues compliance would be impractical.
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Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is considering withdrawing its services from New Mexico in response to the state's legal push for enhanced child safety measures. This follows a recent jury ruling that awarded $375 million to New Mexico after finding Meta misled consumers regarding the safety of its platforms. The upcoming trial phase will address what actions Meta must take to improve child safety, including a controversial requirement for the company to achieve 99% accuracy in verifying that users are at least 13 years old. Meta argues that this requirement is unfeasible and could force them to cease operations in the state. Attorney General Raúl Torrez criticized Meta's stance, asserting that the company has the capability to implement necessary changes but chooses profit over child safety. New Mexico is also seeking safer recommendation algorithms, restrictions on end-to-end encryption for minors, and an independent oversight mechanism for child safety.
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If Meta withdraws its platforms, residents of New Mexico, especially young users and their families, may lose access to popular social media services.
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