The clash between the New Mexico state government and Meta: Its origins and issues Controversy is escalating as social media giant Meta has hinted at the possibility of withdrawing its Facebook and Instagram services from New Mexico due to a legal dispute with the state. This situation exemplifies the sharp conflict between platform regulation for child protection and corporate freedom, revealing a new pattern of digital-era disputes. The New Mexico Attorney General's Office demanded fundamental changes, stating that Meta's platforms threaten children's mental health and safety. The state government's core demands are largely threefold. First, strengthening age verification procedures to restrict minors' access to the platforms. Second, establishing a system to more actively identify and remove content harmful to children. Third, implementing concrete measures to prevent child sexual exploitation that may occur on encrypted messaging services. These demands go beyond mere technical improvements, calling for structural changes to the platforms, which Meta has made clear it finds difficult to accept. The genesis of this conflict was a trial held last month in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The jury found that Meta had intentionally violated the state's consumer protection laws. Specifically, Meta was accused of operating algorithms and features on its platforms that harm children's mental health without proper management, and further, of concealing information related to child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages, approximately 500 billion Korean Won. Meta immediately announced its intention to appeal the verdict. However, the legal battle does not end there. As of April 30, the date of this report, another trial is scheduled for next week, the first week of May. This time, it will proceed as a bench trial, where a judge, not a jury, will render the decision. A New Mexico district court judge will determine whether Meta has created a 'public nuisance'. If Meta is found to have caused a public nuisance, it may be required to financially support related programs in New Mexico. This would entail ongoing obligations beyond mere damages, potentially leading to a more burdensome outcome for Meta. Meta is strongly protesting through court documents and public statements. Meta asserted, "The New Mexico government's demands are so broad and burdensome that if they are enforced by the court, Meta would have no choice but to completely withdraw its apps from the state." Specifically, Meta questioned the technical and economic feasibility, stating, "Creating a separate app solely for New Mexico residents is not reasonable from an economic or engineering perspective." Operating separate platforms for individual states would not only incur enormous development costs and maintenance burdens but also undermine the consistency of user experience. Furthermore, Meta raised a fundamental issue of authority. Meta's legal representatives argued, "The state government lacks the legal authority to compel Meta to implement these changes." They also put forth a constitutional argument that New Mexico's demands "infringe upon freedom of speech." Meta defines its platforms not merely as technical services but as spaces where freedom of expression is guaranteed, arguing that excessive regulation could violate the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech. A Meta spokesperson emphasized in a statement, "Social media is a democratic space where people can freely express themselves," adding, "These fundamental values should not be undermined by the unilateral demands of a particular state government." Meta's Defense Logic: Regulation vs. Freedom Conversely, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez directly refuted Meta's claims. Attorney General Torrez dismissed Meta's withdrawal threat as merely a "publicity stunt," emphasizing that "Meta is fully capable of implementing the requested changes." From Attorney General Torrez's perspective, Meta's arguments are less about genuine technical limitations and more akin to intimidation tactics to evade regulation. He criticized, "It is unconvincing for one of the world's largest tech companies to claim it cannot take reasonable measures for child protection," adding, "This attitude prioritizes corporate profit over children's safety." New Mexico's stance is clear. The state government views this dispute not merely as a conflict with a single corporation but as a process to fulfill its public duty to protect children in the digital age. Cases of harm to children through social media platforms are emerging as a serious global social issue. Concerns are growing that children are exposed defenselessly to risks such as cyberbullying, deteriorating mental health, and sexual exploitation. New Mexico is firm in its position that platform companies must bear greater responsibility for these issues. The state government believes that it is not impossible for larg
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