CIBOLA COUNTY – In a continued push to protect children from online dangers, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has announced the launch of the New Mexico Department of Justice’s (NMDOJ) Internet Safety webpage.
This new resource is part of a comprehensive strategy to hold social media companies accountable and provide critical support to parents and teens navigating the digital landscape.
The Internet Safety page features an 'experience form' where parents and teens can share their experiences with social media platforms, whether past or current. These shared experiences will contribute to a broader campaign scheduled to be announced later this summer. The webpage also offers extensive resources, including social media privacy guides and information on 'Take It Down,' a free service aimed at stopping the online sharing of explicit images or videos of minors.
'As technology continues to advance and more of our daily lives are shared online, it’s important that we take steps to protect our children, our families, and our communities,' said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. 'The Internet Safety Page was created to be a valuable resource for everyone, and the New Mexico Department of Justice is dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in the digital world.'
This initiative is part of AG Torrez’s broader efforts to address the alarming rise in online child exploitation. His office recently filed a landmark lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and its subsidiaries, including Instagram and Facebook, for allegedly facilitating sexual abuse, online solicitation, and human trafficking. The lawsuit is based on evidence from undercover investigations that revealed Meta’s platforms are being used to direct explicit content to minors, enable predator contact, and host groups dedicated to commercial sex.
“The danger is very real, especially for our children. Every day on Meta, for example, an estimated 100,000 children are victims of online sexual harassment,” AG Torrez added. The case, D101-CV-2023-02838 (State of New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc, et al.), experesses the New Mexico Department of Justice’s urgency of implementing stronger safeguards for underage users on social media platforms.
In addition to legal actions, Attorney General Torrez has endorsed the Child Exploitation and Artificial Intelligence Expert Commission Act of 2024.
This Act, sponsored by Rep. Nick Langworthy (RNY) and co-sponsored by a bipartisan coalition, aims to establish a commission to investigate and recommend solutions for preventing, detecting, and prosecuting child exploitation crimes facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI). “By working together, we can establish robust measures to prevent and prosecute child exploitation crimes committed through AI, safeguarding our communities and holding offenders accountable,” said AG Torrez.
Attorney General Torrez also supports U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s recent call for warning labels on social media platforms. This recommendation follows the Surgeon General’s 2023 Social Media and Youth Mental Health Advisory, which linked prolonged social media use to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. “Until these companies change the way they do business and place a premium on the safety of their users, parents should be given explicit warnings about the risk of child exploitation and the devastating impact that these products have on the mental health of children and adolescents,” AG Torrez emphasized.
The new Internet Safety webpage is a vital tool in NMDOJ’s mission to protect vulnerable community members. It provides practical resources and encourages parents and teens to share their stories, helping to shape future policies and campaigns. The page is part of a larger effort, including SMART CHATS (Social Media Awareness Roundtables Creating Healthy Avenues Towards Safety), which offers guides and information to support safe internet use.
For more information and to explore the resources available, and to share stories, visit the new Internet Safety page: https://nmdoj.gov/gethelp/ internet-protectionsafety/ By combining legal actions, legislative support, and community resources, Attorney General Raúl Torrez is leading the charge to create a safer digital environment for children in New Mexico and beyond.