ToplineA New Mexico jury ruled Tuesday that Meta enabled child exploitation on its platforms and misled users about the platforms’ impact on children’s mental health—a landmark decision that could set precedent as Meta battles similar allegations at the federal level.The ruling was handed down Tuesday afternoon.Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesKey FactsMeta will have to pay $375 million in damages for violations of state consumer protections laws.The jury started deliberations Monday and found Meta specifically breached New Mexico’s unfair practices act through alleged unethical business tactics that took advantage of children.Meta told multiple outlets it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal it.New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, who launched the lawsuit against Meta three years ago, said in a statement the ruling was “a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety.”What To Watch ForThe New Mexico Department of Justice will have its final claim against Meta heard during a separate public nuisance case in a trial slated to start on May 4, when it will seek additional damages from Meta alongside changes to its platforms. Some of the changes sought by the department include age verification and “protecting minors from encrypted communications that shield bad actors,” according to the statement.Key BackgroundMeta is facing a spate of lawsuits accusing it of willfully contributing to a youth mental health crisis and designing its platforms to be highly addictive to children. The federal lawsuit that began against Meta in California last month involves a coalition of more than 30 states. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in the case, at one point telling prosecutors, “I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner,” when asked about Meta’s issues with identifying underage users. A 12-person jury will need a three-fourths agreement to side with the states or Meta. The tech giant is also facing state-level suits in places like Florida, Massachusetts and Mississippi.Further ReadingJudge During Zuckerberg Testimony: Don’t Record Using Meta Glasses In Court (Forbes)