Meta has indicated in legal documents that it could discontinue its services in New Mexico should a judge uphold the state's proposed requirements in an impending court proceeding, according to reports from SourceNM. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez labeled this declaration from the tech firm as merely a publicity maneuver.
Just weeks ago, a jury in Santa Fe found Meta responsible for $375 million in compensation to the state due to inadequate safeguards against online threats to young users. This latest alert precedes the next stage of the litigation, set to commence shortly.
During the bench trial on May 4, District Judge Bryan Biedscheid of New Mexico will assess if Meta's operations constitute a public hazard, potentially requiring financial support for state initiatives. Prosecutors from the New Mexico Department of Justice intend to push for platform modifications, such as implementing age checks, eliminating harmful individuals, and preventing young people from engaging in private messages that conceal malicious behavior.
In a document revealed on Thursday, Meta characterized the state's requests as excessively expansive and demanding, suggesting they could necessitate a complete removal of its applications from the area. The filing argued that developing customized versions solely for New Mexico users would be impractical from both a financial and technical perspective. Furthermore, Meta contended that the state oversteps its jurisdiction with these proposals and that they infringe on First Amendment rights.
In remarks provided to Engadget, Attorney General Torrez rejected Meta's assertions regarding the impracticality of the suggested fixes. He pointed out that the company possesses the means to enact them, having previously altered policies, updated features, and complied with authoritarian regimes to maintain business interests. Torrez emphasized that the issue stems not from technical limitations but from Meta's unwillingness to prioritize youth protection over user interaction, ad income, and financial gains.