Trial against Meta in New Mexico highlights video depositions by top executives
SANTA FE, New Mexico — Prosecutors began presenting previously unseen video depositions from Meta executives at a trial in New Mexico on Tuesday to bolster accusations that the social media conglomerate failed to disclose what it knew about harmful effects on children on its platforms, including Instagram.
New Mexico prosecutors view depositions from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram leader Adam Mosseri as the centerpieces of the state’s case against Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Prosecutors accused Meta of violating state consumer protection laws.
Prosecutors say the dangers of social media addiction as well as child sexual exploitation on Meta’s platforms were not properly addressed or disclosed by the company.
Meta’s lawyer, Kevin Huff, pushed back on these claims during his opening statements on February 9, emphasizing efforts to remove harmful content from its platforms while warning users that some content still falls through its safety net. He said Meta was disclosing the risks.
The New Mexico case and a separate trial taking place in Los Angeles could pave the way for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.
Zuckerberg testified last month in Los Angeles about youth use of Instagram and answered questions from Congress about youth safety on Meta platforms.
During his testimony to Congress in 2024, he apologized to families whose lives had been upended by tragedies they believed were caused by social media. But even though he told his parents he was “sorry for everything you’ve been through,” he didn’t want to take direct responsibility.
Mosseri testified during the California trial that he disagreed with the idea that people could be clinically addicted to social media platforms.
