Sometimes, a threat presents itself as a threat. At other times, it comes off like an advertisement for the New Mexico Tourist Bureau. In court filings (via sourcenm), Meta warned that if a judge sides with the NM Justice Department in an upcoming bench trial, the company could be forced to shut down its apps to users in the state. NM Attorney General Raul Torrez described Meta’s threat to ban its apps as a “PR stunt.”
Last month, a Santa Fe jury found Meta liable for $375 million in damages over the company’s failure to protect child users from online predators. This warning from the company has been given before the second phase of testing starting next week.
In a May 4 bench trial, NM District Judge Brian Biedscheid will determine whether META has created a “public nuisance” and therefore should defund related state programs. NM DOJ lawyers will also argue that Meta needs to make several changes to its platform. These include adding age verification, removing predators, and “protecting minors from encrypted communications that protect against bad actors.”
Meta’s response released Thursday reportedly described the state’s demands as “so broad and burdensome that, if implemented, it could force Meta to withdraw its apps entirely.” “It does not make economic or engineering sense for Meta to create a separate app just for New Mexico residents,” it continued. The company also claimed that the state does not have the authority to implement its desired changes and that doing so would violate freedom of expression.
In a statement sent to Engadget, NM AG Torrez rejected Meta’s claims that the proposed measures were not feasible. “We know Meta has the ability to make these changes. Over the years, the company has rewritten its rules, redesigned its products, and even acquiesced to the demands of dictators to maintain market access. This isn’t about technical ability. Meta has refused to put the safety of children ahead of engagement, ad revenue, and profits.”
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