Meta wants to limit evidence against it in child-safety case
What's the story
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a trial in New Mexico over allegations of failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on its platforms. The lawsuit was filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez in late 2023. It accuses Meta of allowing explicit content to reach minors and not implementing sufficient child safety measures.
Evidence exclusion
Meta's legal strategy ahead of trial
As the trial date approaches, Meta's lawyers are working hard to limit what can be used against the company in court. The tech giant has requested that research on social media's impact on youth mental health, reports of teen suicides linked to social media, and financial information about the company be excluded from the trial.
Privacy concerns
Exclusion of past privacy violations and AI chatbots
Meta is also seeking to exclude information about its past privacy violations and details from CEO Mark Zuckerberg's college years. The company has even asked the court to exclude references to its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. This broad request has drawn criticism from legal experts who believe it is unusually wide-ranging for a case of this nature.
Health concerns
Meta's response to public health warning on social media
Meta has also requested the court to exclude a public health warning from former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy about the impact of social media on youth mental health. The company is also against surveys (including its own) about the prevalence of inappropriate content on its platforms. Meta argues that all this information is irrelevant or could unfairly sway the jury in this case.