A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million in a case involving harm to children
A New Mexico state judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million in a lawsuit filed by the state, which alleged that the tech company caused “public harm” and harmed children, according to France 24 English.
In March, a jury found Meta liable for endangering children, particularly due to their vulnerability to online predators on the company’s platforms. At that time, the state was awarded $375 million in damages. The lawsuit against Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, was filed in 2023 by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
During the hearings, state attorney Linda Singer argued that Meta’s algorithms directed adult users to content posted by teenagers, and that the company concealed internal findings about the risks to young people. The jury also concluded that Meta violated the state’s unfair trade practices law by misleading consumers about the safety of its products for children.
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About three-quarters of the $567 million fund is to be allocated to mental health treatment. Meta must pay out the funds over a five-year period. The remainder is earmarked for education and prevention programs, screening and assessment, coordination of assistance, as well as program implementation and evaluation.
The court also ordered Meta to report twice a year on its compliance with the ruling and to make changes to its products. In particular, the company must continue its efforts to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram. For users under 18, Judge Brian Bidscheid ruled to limit push notifications, cap platform usage at 90 hours per month, and hide like counters.
Meta stated that it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal it. The company also noted that it is working to ensure user safety on its platforms and believes the lawsuit misrepresents the facts.
