New Mexico Judge orders Meta to Pay $576 million and enhance safeguards for minors
The court also ordered Meta to expand safety measures on Facebook and Instagram in NM.
SANTA FE, N.M. —
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million and make changes to its platforms after ruling the social media giant contributed to a public nuisance harming New Mexico’s youth.
Court documents show the judge found Meta substantially contributed to a public nuisance involving youth mental health, addictive platform use, and risks of sexual exploitation.
Thursday’s order also requires stronger age checks, limits on teen notifications, default safety settings, and restrictions on sexualized AI chatbot interactions with minors.
The $567 million will go into an abatement fund aimed at addressing harms to young people linked to Facebook and Instagram.
Meta has previously been hit with $375 million in civil penalties in the same case.
A spokesperson for Meta sent us the following statement:
“We disagree with the ruling and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content. We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts. “
The New Mexico Department of Justice plans to hold a press conference on this ruing Friday morning.
“This case has always been about protecting children, standing up for families, and making sure that one of the world’s largest technology companies cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence,” said Attorney General Raul Torrez. “Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online.”
This is a developing story. Stay with KOAT for any updates.
