DistantNews
Support us
Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million Fine in New Mexico Over Child Safety Failures
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka /Crime & Justice

Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million Fine in New Mexico Over Child Safety Failures

From Lankadeepa · () Sinhala

Translated from Sinhala, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay a $567 million fine for failing to protect children on its social media platforms.
  • The judge described social media as a "public nuisance" similar to air pollution.
  • This fine is the largest ever imposed on Meta, bringing the total to $942 million including a previous $375 million penalty.
  • Meta stated it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal.

A New Mexico court has mandated that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, pay a substantial $567 million fine. The penalty stems from the company's alleged failure to adequately protect children from the harms associated with its social media platforms.

Presiding Judge Brian Biedscheid characterized social media as a "public nuisance," drawing a parallel to air pollution. He further recommended that the funds be allocated to a trust aimed at mitigating future damages. This ruling represents the largest penalty ever levied against Meta.

We disagree with the ruling and will be filing an appeal.

— Meta spokespersonMeta's reaction to the court's decision and its intention to appeal.

This latest judgment adds to a previous penalty of $375 million imposed in the same case, bringing Meta's total financial liability in this matter to $942 million. The court's decision highlights ongoing concerns regarding child safety and the responsibilities of social media companies.

A spokesperson for Meta expressed disagreement with the court's decision, stating, "We disagree with the ruling and will be filing an appeal." The company faces numerous similar lawsuits across the United States concerning these issues. Earlier this year, Meta also lost a comparable lawsuit in Los Angeles.

social media is a 'public nuisance' akin to air pollution

— Judge Brian BiedscheidThe judge's strong statement characterizing social media's impact.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Lankadeepa in Sinhala. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog