Meta Seeks to Bar Mentions of Mental Health-and Zuckerberg's Harvard Past-From Child Safety Trial

"The company has petitioned the judge to exclude certain research studies and articles around social media and youth mental health; any mention of a recent high-profile case involving teen suicide and social media content; and any references to Meta's financial resources, the personal activities of employees, and Mark Zuckerberg's time as a student at Harvard University."

"Meta's requests to exclude information, known as motions in limine, are a standard part of pretrial proceedings, in which a party can ask a judge to determine in advance which evidence or arguments are permissible in court. Meta has emphasized in pretrial motions that the only questions the jury should be asked are whether Meta violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act because of how it has allegedly handled child safety and youth mental health, and that other information-such as Meta's alleged election interference and misinformation, or privacy violations-shouldn't be factored in."

"These motions are part of a landmark case brought by New Mexico attorney general Raúl Torrez in late 2023. The state is alleging that Meta failed to protect minors from online solicitation, human trafficking, and sexual abuse on its platforms. It claims the company proactively served pornographic content to minors on its apps and faile"

Meta has filed motions in limine seeking to exclude research on social media and youth mental health, mention of a recent teen suicide case, and references to company finances, employees' personal activities, and Mark Zuckerberg's time at Harvard. The company asked the judge to limit the jury's focus to whether Meta violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act for its handling of child safety and youth mental health. Some legal scholars called certain requests unusually aggressive, including exclusions of AI chatbots and broad reputation protections. The motions relate to a lawsuit by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleging failures to protect minors from online sexual exploitation.

Read at WIRED