Meta fined $942 million in New Mexico child safety ruling

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay over $942 million to address harm caused to children on its social media platforms. The ruling on Thursday builds upon a March jury decision that found Meta liable for failing to protect minors and approved a $375 million fine.

State Judge Bryan Biedscheid added an additional $567 million to the penalty and mandated changes to Meta's platforms to enhance child safety. The total sum is to be placed into an abatement fund, with $420 million specifically earmarked for treatment services.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez hailed the decision as a victory for families, emphasizing that the company cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence. He stated the ruling would help protect children online.

A Meta spokesperson expressed disagreement with the ruling, stating the company works to keep users safe and will continue to defend itself against claims that misrepresent the facts. Meta plans to appeal the decision.

The court noted federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying certain age-verification tools to children under 13. Instead, Meta must continue to improve its age assurance tools using AI and develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” within two years. Meta must also request proof of age for users estimated to be under 13 and delete personal information collected on users under 13.