Key facts
- Meta Platforms ordered to pay $942 million in New Mexico for child safety failures.
- The fine includes $567 million for failing to warn users about child safety dangers.
- A judge ruled Meta created a public nuisance by designing platforms to addict young users and failing to protect them.
- Meta must implement platform changes for New Mexico users under 18, including stricter age verification and usage limits.
- Meta intends to appeal the ruling, stating the claims misrepresent facts.
A New Mexico state court has ordered Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $942 million and implement significant changes to its platforms to protect young users. The ruling, issued by Judge Bryan Biedscheid, found Meta created a public nuisance by designing its services to addict young users and failing to adequately protect them from sexual exploitation and adverse mental health outcomes.
The total fine includes $567 million specifically for failing to warn users about child safety dangers. The court mandated measures for New Mexico users under 18, including stricter age verification, a 90-hour monthly usage limit, restricted push notifications during school hours and overnight, and parental consent for displaying 'likes' on posts. The ruling also requires banning sexualized chatbot interactions with minors and blurring images suspected of nudity. A fund of $420 million for treatment, $90 million for screening and assessment, $33 million for awareness and prevention, and $24 million for other costs will be established to address the youth mental health crisis.
Meta has stated its intention to appeal the decision, with a spokesperson asserting that the claims misrepresent the facts and that the company is committed to teen safety. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez hailed the ruling as a potential 'blueprint' for other governments seeking to regulate social media platforms through legal action. The judge rejected a proposal for Meta to fund new community-based health centers for 15 years, opting for a five-year funding period for treatment and related services, considering other social media companies also share responsibility for harm to youth.