Mark Zuckerberg
Meta said in a court filing it might shut down in New Mexico over proposed child safety guidelines.

Meta is saying that it might shutdown access to its products in New Mexico because proposed measures meant to protect children are too hard to implement.

The suggested safety measures, such as verifying that users are at least 13, are the second phase of a court case Meta already has lost, the Associate Press noted. The company also faces damages of $375 million following a jury verdict that the company knowingly harmed the mental health of children through its products, including Facebook and Instagram.

Following that verdict, New Mexico prosecutors asked the court to order changes to protect children. However, Meta has argued the measures would be impossible to implement.

"As a practical matter, this requirement effectively requires Meta to shut down its services — for all users in the state — or else comply with impossible obligations," Meta said in the filing.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez scoffed at the idea that safety changes on the platform would be too difficult to carry out.

"Meta is showing the world how little it cares about child safety," Torrez said. "Meta's refusal to follow the laws that protect our kids tells you everything you need to know about this company and the character of its leaders."

Aside from age verification, prosecutors want safer content recommendations that prioritize child well-being, restrictions on end-to-end encryption for minors, prominent warning labels regarding the risks of using the platforms, permanent bans of adults who target children, and independent oversight through a court-appointed child safety monitor.

"We know Meta has the ability to make these changes. For years the company has rewritten its own rules, redesigned its products, and even bent to the demands of dictators to preserve market access," Torrez said. "This is not about technological capability. Meta simply refuses to place the safety of children ahead of engagement, advertising revenue, and profit."

Also, in March, a woman won a judgement against Meta and YouTube after filing a lawsuit against the companies in Los Angeles. The lawsuit was brought by a woman who said that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age contributed to mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts, CBS News reported.

The woman received $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages as compensation.

Originally published on IBTimes