Meta apps – Meta says a ruling could force it to withdraw apps in New Mexico, as a legal fight over child safety heads toward a new phase.
Meta’s latest court warning is blunt: if New Mexico gets what it wants in an upcoming trial, the company may be forced to pull its apps from the state.
In filings tied to Misryoum’s coverage of the dispute. Meta said it could withdraw access to its products for New Mexico users if a judge agrees with demands from the New Mexico Department of Justice.. The state’s position is framed around remedies meant to reduce harm to children online. a theme that has driven the litigation so far.
Last month, a Santa Fe jury found Meta liable for damages connected to what the state says was a failure to protect child users from online predators. The case is now moving into the next phase, with a bench trial scheduled to begin next week.
The slightly detailed portion of the dispute centers on what the court should require Meta to do.. Misryoum reports that the New Mexico DOJ is seeking platform changes that include age verification. steps aimed at removing predators. and measures described as protecting minors from encrypted communications that could enable bad actors.. Meta. in its response. characterizes the state’s requested actions as overly broad and difficult to implement in a way that would avoid shutting down app access.
Insight: This is the kind of legal pressure that turns “policy” into engineering. When remedies include concrete product requirements, companies often argue about feasibility, while states argue that safety obligations must be enforceable.
Misryoum also notes that Meta argued that building separate apps specifically for New Mexico would not make economic or engineering sense. The company also disputed the state’s authority to demand the changes and said complying could conflict with free speech principles.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez rejected Meta’s portrayal of the remedies as unrealistic. arguing that the company has repeatedly changed its systems and rules when faced with demands that affected access and operations.. In Misryoum’s framing, Torrez’s message is that the issue is not capability, but priorities.
Insight: Beyond the courtroom, the outcome could shape how platforms think about regional requirements for child safety, and whether courts treat encryption and age controls as practical levers for real-world risk reduction.