In one case, brought by the state of New Mexico in 2023 but trialled this year, prosecutors argued that the company’s platforms enabled predators to identify and contact minors, citing failures in safeguards, recommendation systems, and enforcement.
In another, regulators have challenged the addictive design of social platforms and their impact on young users.
Two different cases, two different but harmful consequences.
To me, it seems this isn’t a nod towards a bug or a missing process; it feels like an infrastructure design failure, or a systemic outcome.
The New Mexico case is particularly revealing… According to reporting by The Guardian, investigators demonstrated how accounts posing as minors could be rapidly contacted by adult users, raising concerns about how easily harmful actors could operate within the platform.
