Key facts
- A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to implement new child safety measures on Facebook and Instagram.
- The judge fined Meta $567 million and mandated measures including a 90-hour monthly time limit for users under 18.
- The ruling also requires mandatory warnings and restrictions on AI chatbots.
- Meta has stated it will appeal the decision.
- The measures apply only to children in New Mexico and have no set deadline for implementation.
- This ruling follows a previous $375 million penalty imposed on Meta for harming children's mental health.
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to implement significant new child safety measures across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, in a ruling that advocates hope will set a precedent for other courts. Judge Bryan Biedscheid imposed a $567 million fine and mandated changes such as a 90-hour monthly time limit for users under 18, restrictions on AI chatbots, and mandatory warnings.
The judge compared Meta's platforms to factories and the psychological harm to children to pollution, stating the company's practices have contributed to mental health issues. The ruling, however, applies only to children in New Mexico and Meta has indicated it will appeal.
Implementing these measures, particularly robust age verification, presents challenges. Experts note that federal laws like the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) limit data collection for users under 13. Identifying users within New Mexico could rely on IP address checks, which may not be foolproof.
Critics also point out that the ruling does not address addictive design features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations, which are often cited as major contributors to problematic social media use among adolescents. However, the order does include measures such as hiding like counts by default for minors and creating stronger separations between children and unconnected adults, which experts support.
Meta has stated it works to keep users safe and will defend itself against claims it believes misrepresent the facts, highlighting existing safety tools like Instagram Teen Accounts. Advocacy groups, however, welcome the court supervision of these new measures, believing it will ensure accountability.