On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, a New Mexico jury found that Meta violated New Mexico law. The trial was brought about when Meta, on their social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger, was accused of failing to warn users about the dangers of their platforms and protect children from sexual predators. As a result of the ruling, Meta must now pay a total of $375 million in damages.

The visible dangers of social media are easy to see but what this lawsuit focused on was the addictive properties of social media. Specifically, how it drew users both of age and underage to use the apps that Meta provides. Meta is just the first mega tech corporation to be sued and there are plans for more lawsuits of this variety for services like YouTube and Twitter.

Ever since the dawn of social media, there have been concerns from parents about the risks associated with children having an online presence. Currently, trafficking has been highlighted as a legitimate concern. The ability for anyone to just log on to any form of social media and pretend to be someone else is very possible and dangerous. They could pose as a child, or another person and steal their identity.

Social media is in our day-to-day lives now and it is very difficult to avoid it. When used properly, it can be really useful and an amazing platform for businesses. However, when used in a predatory fashion to gather attention from young viewers whose brains aren’t developed creates an even stronger addiction to social media. These platforms need to be regulated and held accountable.