Dhaka, March 25 -- A New Mexico jury on Tuesday found Meta Platforms violated state law in a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general, who accused the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and of enabling child sexual exploitation on those platforms.

After deliberating less than a day, the jury found that Meta violated New Mexico's consumer protection law and ordered the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties.

The verdict marks the first time a jury has ruled on such claims against Meta, as the company faces a wave of lawsuits over how its platforms affect young people's mental health.

"We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal," a Meta spokesperson said in a state...