A significant warning has emerged from a leading meta-researcher about the potential for up to 500,000 online sexual exploitation incidents occurring daily on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This information comes from revealing documents disclosed just before a pivotal jury trial begins in New Mexico.
The trial, led by Attorney General Raul Torres, is set to commence on Monday in state court. The lawsuit alleges that Mark Zuckerberg’s social media company is putting children at risk through what is termed a “double jeopardy” of sexual exploitation and mental health issues, stemming from a mix of inappropriate messages and exploitation schemes, as well as human trafficking.
The state claims that this social media crisis is contributing to rising levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicide among teens.
In the lead-up to the trial, attorneys for the state presented internal emails from Maria Andrus, who was in charge of child safety at Meta from 2017 until 2024. One of those emails revealed that the disturbing communication, including inappropriate messages, impacts “around 500,000 victims per day in the UK market alone.”
Andrus expressed concern in a June 2020 email, stating, “I expect the actual situation to be even worse,” as noted in court documents.
In another alarming correspondence, Andrus pointed out how Facebook and Instagram’s vast number of users have inadvertently provided predators with unprecedented means to target minors.
She mentioned, “I don’t think there has ever been a place in human history where you could have a secret conversation with 1,000 people. I’m actually scared of the repercussions here.”
This New Mexico lawsuit is only one of several legal challenges facing Meta this year, as it underscores safety issues that are garnering the attention of lawmakers in Washington.
Recently, a pilot trial in California has accused Meta and Google’s YouTube of fostering social media addiction in young users, with numerous families and school districts stepping in as plaintiffs. Additionally, last month the FTC appealed a loss in an antitrust case aimed at breaking up Meta.
Sasha Howarth, from the watchdog group Tech Oversight Project, noted that these lawsuits against Meta illustrate a troubling chapter for the tech giant. “These are the trials of a generation,” she remarked. “Just as the world held Big Tobacco and Big Pharma accountable in court, we will finally see a CEO from a Big Tech company like Zuckerberg face consequences.” Howarth emphasized that the global scrutiny has begun and the repercussions are just starting to unfold.
The New Mexico lawsuit has drawn significant attention due to surprising details that surfaced during investigations into Meta’s practices.
State investigators reported that a test account was bombarded with adult sexual content and solicitations from potential child predators, including graphic images and offers for substantial compensation to appear in adult videos, according to the lawsuit.
Other pretrial emails also indicated that Andrus circumvented age verification measures designed to protect underage users from accessing Instagram, stating that they could be easily deceived.
Andrus noted, “Nearly every time our investigators encounter someone who lies about their age on IG, the feedback we get confirms that age prediction is incorrect,” in court records.
A Meta spokesperson maintained that the internal discussions referenced were part of the company’s ongoing commitment to child protection, calling New Mexico’s claims “sensational and misplaced.” They insisted that for over a decade, the company has engaged with parents and collaborated with experts and law enforcement to tackle significant issues.
Andrus, who left Meta in 2024 and is now working for OpenAI in an online safety capacity, has not responded to inquiries.
The state claims that Andrus has been heavily involved in internal investigations related to child safety and has previously addressed Meta’s inadequate investment in such measures, as well as the misleading nature of public safety metrics.
As the trial approached, Meta’s legal team attempted to bar the introduction of several sensitive topics, including details regarding the company’s AI chatbot and results from research indicating negative effects of its products on mental health. However, these requests were ultimately denied during a pretrial hearing.
Internal documents revealed that Zuckerberg allowed minors to interact with Meta’s AI chatbot even after staff voiced concerns about the potential for romantic or sexual conversations. Attorney General Torres has been openly critical of Zuckerberg, denouncing Instagram’s PG-13 rating system designed to protect kids from harmful content as a “dangerous advertising stunt.”
In response, Meta accused Torres of disseminating claims filled with inaccuracies and disregarding the company’s advancements in enhancing children’s safety.
