He prosecuted child sex predators. Now, he’s going after Meta for allegedly enabling them | CNN Business

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Child Safety: New Mexico Attorney General Takes on Meta

Introduction

1. When Raúl Torrez, a young prosecutor in rural New Mexico, prepared one of his first child abuse cases, he received valuable advice from his father, Presiliano Torrez. Instead of focusing on legal strategies, his father emphasized the impact on the child involved.

Fighting for Child Safety

1. Raúl Torrez, now the Attorney General of New Mexico, has taken on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, in a lawsuit accusing them of creating a “breeding ground” for child predators and exposing young users to explicit material.
2. Torrez’s case is unique in its focus on alleged child sexual exploitation and highlights the dangers posed by social media platforms.

Challenges and Potential Progress

1. Torrez faces significant challenges in his lawsuit against Meta, as the company is one of the richest in the world and benefits from legal protections for online platforms.
2. However, online safety advocates see the courts as a potential avenue for progress, as legislative efforts to address social media and child safety have stalled.

Emphasis on Child Protection

1. Torrez’s experience prosecuting sex crimes against children motivated his lawsuit against Meta.
2. By creating fake profiles on Facebook and Instagram, Torrez’s team uncovered evidence of sexual harassment and exploitation targeting minors.

Potential Impact on Section 230

1. If successful, Torrez’s lawsuit could challenge the legal protections provided by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields social media platforms from liability for user-generated content.
2. Legal experts believe that a ruling against Meta could lead to amendments or exceptions to Section 230, specifically for issues like child abuse and exploitation.

Meta’s Response and Safety Measures

1. Meta has pushed back against Torrez’s claims and highlighted its existing efforts to protect young users, including technology to detect and disable suspicious accounts and partnerships with law enforcement.
2. The company has also introduced additional safety features, such as restricting adults over the age of 19 from messaging teens who don’t follow them.

Broader Implications

1. Torrez’s lawsuit is part of a larger effort to make New Mexico safer, as the state faces challenges in terms of youth well-being, high child poverty rates, and low high school graduation rates.
2. By holding both individual offenders and corporate leaders accountable, Torrez aims to break the cycle of abuse and ensure the safety of children in communities.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
6. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Targets:

• Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
• Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

Indicators:

• Indicator 3.7.1: Proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods.
• Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
• Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age group.
• Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 16.2.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation.

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to the following SDGs:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Addressing the impact of social media on teens’ mental health and overall well-being.
2. SDG 4: Quality Education – Ensuring access to quality education and early childhood development for all children.
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality – Eliminating violence and exploitation against women and girls.
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Eradicating forced labor, modern slavery, and child labor.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Promoting social, economic, and political inclusion for all individuals.
6. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

• Target 3.7: Universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services.
• Target 4.2: Access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education.
• Target 5.2: Elimination of violence against women and girls.
• Target 8.7: Eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, and child labor.
• Target 10.2: Social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals.
• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator 3.7.1: Proportion of women of reproductive age who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods.
• Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being.
• Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner.
• Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children engaged in child labor.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income.
• Indicator 16.2.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators