A New Mexico court has directed Meta to pay more than $567 million to address claims that the company created a public nuisance and caused harm to children through its platforms. The order follows an earlier jury decision in March that found Meta liable for $375 million in damages related to risks posed to minors by predators and other issues on its services. Meta stated it disagrees with the latest ruling and plans to appeal, while emphasizing its ongoing work to maintain safety and its transparency about difficulties in removing harmful content. The lawsuit, filed by the state attorney general in 2023, accused Meta of failing to shield young users from online threats on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Prosecutors argued that the company’s algorithms exposed teenage content to adults and hid internal research on youth risks. The jury determined that Meta violated the state Unfair Practices Act by misrepresenting product safety for children. The attorney general described the outcome as a win for families seeking greater online protection. Roughly three-quarters of the payment will fund mental health services over five years, with the rest supporting awareness, screening, and program evaluation efforts. Meta must also submit compliance reports twice yearly and adjust features such as limiting push notifications and usage time for users under 18 while hiding like counts. The ruling notes that teens are especially drawn to engagement tools like infinite scrolling and algorithmic suggestions. Similar lawsuits against social media firms are pending in more than 30 states, with some cases reaching settlements or trials.
