New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and associated entities including Instagram, LLC and Facebook Holdings, LLC, alleging that the company's platforms enabled child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to be distributed and failed to identify alleged predator networks. The Attorney General's office stated that some CSAM is ten times more prevalent on Facebook and Instagram than on Pornhub and OnlyFans.

Lawsuit Details and Allegations

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, December 7, 2023, by New Mexico Democrat Attorney General Raúl Torrez, targets Meta Platforms, Inc., Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram, LLC, and Facebook Holdings, LLC. The legal action asserts that Meta's platforms "enabled child sexual abuse material to be distributed, and failed to identify alleged predator networks," as reported by CNBC. The suit also alleges that Facebook and Instagram created "prime locations" for sexual predators that enabled child sexual abuse, solicitation, and trafficking.

According to a statement from the New Mexico AG's office, Zuckerberg and other Meta executives "are aware of the serious harm their products can pose to young users, and yet they have failed to make sufficient changes to their platforms that would prevent the sexual exploitation of children. Despite repeated assurances to Congress and the public that they can be trusted to police themselves, it is clear that Meta’s executives continue to prioritize engagement and ad revenue over the safety of the most vulnerable members of our society."

Attorney General Torrez stated, "Our investigation into Meta’s social media platforms demonstrates that they are not safe spaces for children but rather prime locations for predators to trade child pornography and solicit minors for sex." He added, "As a career prosecutor who specialized in internet crimes against children, I am committed to using every available tool to put an end to these horrific practices and I will hold companies — and their executives — accountable whenever they put profits ahead of children’s safety."

Undercover Investigation Findings

The lawsuit follows an undercover investigation conducted by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office over several months. This operation involved investigators posing as minors under 14 on Meta’s platforms. The investigation allegedly "revealed myriad instances of sexually explicit content being served to minors, child sexual coercion, or the sale of CSAM."

The sting operation led to several findings, including that Meta's platforms:

  • Proactively served and directed underage users a stream of egregious, sexually explicit images, even when the child had expressed no interest in this content.
  • Enabled dozens of adults to find, contact, and press children into providing sexually explicit pictures of themselves or participate in pornographic videos.
  • Recommended that children join unmoderated Facebook groups devoted to facilitating commercial sex.
  • Allowed Facebook and Instagram users to find, share, and sell an enormous volume of child pornography.

The New Mexico AG's office statement specifically noted, "The Office’s investigators found that certain child exploitative content is over ten times more prevalent on Facebook and Instagram than it is on Pornhub and OnlyFans."

Comparison to Adult Industry Platforms

A central assertion in the New Mexico Attorney General's statement is the comparison of CSAM prevalence on Meta's platforms to that on adult industry sites. The office stated that "certain child exploitative content is over ten times more prevalent on Facebook and Instagram than it is on Pornhub and OnlyFans." This claim was made in the statement announcing the state’s lawsuit against Meta.

Key Facts

  • New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram, LLC, and Facebook Holdings, LLC.
  • The lawsuit alleges Meta's platforms enabled child sexual abuse material (CSAM) distribution and failed to identify predator networks.
  • An undercover investigation by the New Mexico AG's office preceded the lawsuit, involving investigators posing as minors under 14.
  • The investigation allegedly found "certain child exploitative content is over ten times more prevalent on Facebook and Instagram than it is on Pornhub and OnlyFans."
  • The lawsuit claims Meta executives prioritize "engagement and ad revenue over the safety of the most vulnerable members of our society."
  • The suit was filed on Thursday, December 7, 2023.