New Mexico AG Calls Social Media Lawsuits Big Tech's Tobacco Moment

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is positioning social media lawsuits as the tech industry's reckoning — drawing a direct line to the landmark Big Tobacco cases that reshaped an entire industry decades ago.

In a wide-ranging Politico Q&A, Torrez discussed the ongoing New Mexico and Los Angeles social media trials targeting major platforms. The cases center on harms allegedly caused by social media companies, particularly to younger users.

Torrez framed the litigation as a potential inflection point. If the trials succeed, they could pressure Congress into passing federal legislation regulating social media platforms — much like tobacco lawsuits eventually forced sweeping regulatory changes.

The stakes are enormous. State-level legal action is increasingly becoming the primary vehicle for holding tech giants accountable, especially as federal lawmakers remain gridlocked on comprehensive social media reform.