New Mexico AG Drafts AI Laws After Meta Ruling

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is drafting two new bills to strengthen consumer protections and child safety online, specifically extending coverage to chatbots and artificial intelligence. One of the proposed measures seeks to remove the cap on penalties for violating state consumer protection laws.

This legislative effort follows a court ruling that requires Meta to pay $942 million in civil penalties and abatement funds. The ruling also mandates that the company implement age verification and time-use limits for users under 18. Torrez indicated that the state intends to build on the momentum of this legal victory.

Parallel to the New Mexico developments, a federal trial has begun in Oakland, California. A coalition of 29 state attorneys general is suing Meta, alleging the company designed Facebook and Instagram to intentionally addict children and teens, resulting in physical and mental harm. The lawsuit further claims Meta illegally collected children's data in violation of federal law. Meta has denied these allegations and stated it will appeal the New Mexico ruling.