New Mexico Trial Begins to Determine Remedies After $375 Million Meta Child Safety Verdict

Attorneys for New Mexico and Meta are set to begin a three-week public nuisance trial in a Santa Fe courthouse on Monday, addressing proposed changes to Meta's operations on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp after a $375 million jury award in a child safety case.

The award, won by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez earlier in 2026, stemmed from a verdict in March. The Verge reported that the trial will evaluate remedies including age verification for New Mexico users, prohibiting end-to-end encryption for users under 18, capping their use at 90 hours per month, limiting features like infinite scroll and autoplay, and requiring Meta to detect 99 percent of new child sexual abuse material.

He added, 'I recognize that even at $375 million for a company this big and this profitable, it’s not enough in and of itself to change the way they’re doing business. The Verge reported that Torrez recently visited Washington, DC, to advocate for new kids safety legislation, new protections for kids online, and an overhaul of Section 230.

Any changes ordered by Judge Bryan Biedscheid would apply only to Meta's operations in New Mexico.

The state expects to call about 15 witnesses during the trial, according to the attorney general’s office. The Verge reported that Meta announced it was getting rid of end-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram. Meta launched 13 safety measures in the past year, according to Meta spokesperson Chris Sgro.

The trial follows the jury verdict in the first phase in March 2026, which led to the $375 million award against Meta.