SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two landmark jury verdicts against social media companies have arrived at the front of a wave of lawsuits alleging that the popular platforms endanger the mental health of children.
Financial penalties total $381 million in the two cases involving tech giant Meta in New Mexico and both Meta and YouTube in California. The verdicts highlight a growing shift in the public perception of social media companies and their responsibilities toward child safety.
But it may be too soon to tell whether litigation will change the way popular social media and messaging platforms function — or influence the complex algorithms that deliver content to billions of users worldwide.
Here are looming questions as related lawsuits approach trial.
The answer is not really — or, at least, not yet.
Meta — the owner of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — says it had $201 billion in sales last year.
That revenue stream dwarfs the $375 million in civil penalties imposed on Tuesday by a jury in New Mexico with a verdict that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms.
Meta said it disagrees with the verdicts and plans to appeal the jury's finding that it violated the state Unfair Practices Act.
And tech companies still are shielded from legal responsibility for posted content, based on Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.
Investors are shrugging off the verdicts. Meta’s stock closed slightly higher Wednesday, although it is down about 8% year-to-date.
The verdicts this week don't mandate specific changes to the design of social media platforms, nor to the algorithms that make them tick.
But a second phase of the New Mexico trial in May, before a judge with no jury, could spell out changes for Meta's platforms for local users by court order.
A state district court judge will determine whether Meta created a public nuisance — and could impose restrictions and order the company to pay for programs that remedy potential harms to children.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who filed the lawsuit against Meta in 2023, says his office wants improvements to Meta's enforcement of minimum age limits and removal of sexual predators — in part by lifting encryption on communication that can interfere with police work.
Meta says it continuously works to improve safety and already has made changes that phase out encryption on Instagram and limit access to explicit content by teenagers, block unsolicited messages to children from adults and help young users manage time spent on its platforms and avoid sleep disruptions.
Both the California and New Mexico trials highlighted the addictive properties of platform algorithms and the negative impacts on child mental health.
In New Mexico, a jury in Santa Fe arrived at the $375 million fine against Meta by endorsing the maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation of state consumer protection law — multiplied by thousands of social media accounts for children under 18.
Prosecutors intend to pursue more damages in that trial's second phase, while an appeal could delay payment — or reverse penalties.
In California, the jury ruled that Meta and Google's video streaming platform YouTube must pay at least $3 million in damages to a 20-year-old woman who says she became addicted to social media as a child, exacerbating her mental health struggles. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial began.
California jurors recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages pending a judge's final review.
Google defends YouTube as a responsibly built streaming platform, and not a social media site.
The California verdict has much broader legal and financial implications. The case was designated as a bellwether test that might guide the resolution of other lawsuits. There are thousands of those lawsuits pending, including hundreds in California.
The New Mexico verdict may be an early indicator for lawsuits brought by other publicly elected prosecutors.
Attorneys general in more than 40 states have filed suit against Meta, claiming it is contributing to a mental health crisis among young people. Most are pursuing remedies in U.S. federal court.
A recording of Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg's deposition is played for the jurors on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Santa Fe, N.M. (Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican via AP, Pool)
Meta attorney Kevin Huff makes closing arguments, Monday, March 23, 2026, in state court, in Santa Fe, N.M., in a trial where the social media conglomerate is accused of misleading its users about how safe its platforms are for children. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)
NEW YORK (AP) — On the eve of opening day, Paul Skenes set forth lofty goals for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“We want to win the division. We want to make the playoffs. That’s it. How we do that, who knows?" the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner said Wednesday.
"I don’t want to put a number of games out there because that’s just putting a ceiling on us. We’ve got to go out there and play well every day.”
That pursuit begins Thursday, when Skenes pitches for the Pirates against Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and a revamped New York Mets lineup in a nationally televised opener at Citi Field.
Freddy Peralta makes his Mets debut on the mound after the two-time All-Star was acquired from Milwaukee in a January trade.
“I know that he’s great," the right-hander said of Skenes. "I just see it that I’m competing against him, you know what I’m saying? Because I know it’s going to be probably a tough day for the offense. And it makes me better when I know that I have that kind of pitcher on the mound.”
Even thinking about the postseason is a notable step forward for the thrifty Pirates, who finished last in the NL Central at 71-91 last season. They haven't won a division title since 1992 or qualified for the playoffs since 2015.
Pittsburgh, however, is developing a promising rotation fronted by Skenes, and the club added second baseman Brandon Lowe, designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and right fielder Ryan O'Hearn in the offseason to punch-up an offense that ranked last in the majors in runs (583) and homers (117) last year. Konnor Griffin, a 19-year-old shortstop rated baseball's No. 1 prospect, could reach the majors soon.
New players, young talent — better vibes.
“It’s certainly different now, and I’m really excited to see where it’s going to be in two months,” said Skenes, set to make his second consecutive opening-day start after helping the United States reach the championship game of the World Baseball Classic this month.
“We have a good team. Now we’ve got to go out there and win.”
Both teams worked out Wednesday in Queens, where the big-budget Mets will field a new-look squad in 2026 after collapsing in the second half last year and missing the playoffs.
Gone are perennial fan favorites Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Díaz and Jeff McNeil. In their place are first baseman Jorge Polanco, center fielder Luis Robert Jr., closer Devin Williams and second baseman Marcus Semien, all newcomers.
Polanco, mostly a middle infielder throughout his career, is switching positions. So is Bichette, a shortstop with Toronto before signing with the Mets as a free agent to play third base.
Soto moves from right field to left as New York tries to improve defense. Heralded prospect Carson Benge starts in right after the 2024 first-round draft pick zipped through three minor league levels last season — though he struggled at the plate in a 24-game stint at Triple-A Syracuse.
“He doesn't get too high, he doesn’t get too low. I was surprised that I finally got a smile from him when I delivered the news the other day when I was telling him that he made the team,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But it goes to show you that he’s very mature, and to be able to play at this level on a team that has high expectations, you need that consistency, you need that type of personality.”
Mendoza said the 23-year-old Benge, who will wear No. 3, is “ready for this level” and is "going to play a lot."
Benge draws the unenviable task of making his major league debut against Skenes, who has already started two All-Star Games as he enters his third big league season.
The 23-year-old right-hander led the National League with a 1.97 ERA and 0.95 WHIP last season, going 10-10 with 216 strikeouts in 32 starts.
“I can do better this year. There are ways to get better. Just got to go out there and execute," Skenes said. "Execute pitches more consistently.”
While the Pirates are looking to become contenders again, the Mets expect more. They're chasing their first World Series crown in 40 years.
"It has certainly been too long. I feel that as much as anyone,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said.
Left-handed hitter Jared Young won the final bench spot over utilityman Vidal Brujan as New York set its opening-day roster. Richard Lovelady was picked over fellow left-hander Bryan Hudson to round out the bullpen.
Left-handed reliever A.J. Minter was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to March 22, as he continues to recover from left lat surgery last year. Brujan, Hudson and catcher Ben Rortvedt were designated for assignment.
“I think it’s a well-balanced group and a group that seems to be coming together pretty well right now," Stearns said. “I like where we are. Now we’ve got to go and play.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
United States pitcher Paul Skenes (30) aims a pitch during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against the Dominican Republic, Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
