New Mexico Judge Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million for Social Media Harm to Minors

In a landmark decision, a New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million to establish a fund aimed at repairing the damage its social media platforms have inflicted on minors. The ruling, issued Thursday, is the first of its kind in the United States and mandates that Meta finance mental health and prevention programs for young people over a five-year period.

This substantial sum is in addition to the $375 million in civil penalties previously imposed by a Santa Fe jury in March, which found Meta negligent in protecting underage users. Meta has appealed that verdict and has indicated it will appeal the latest ruling as well. A Meta spokesperson told AFP, "We disagree with this decision and will appeal," while expressing confidence in the company's record on protecting teenagers online.

The New Mexico Attorney General hailed the decision as a "historic victory" for the state's residents and families nationwide, recognizing it as a win for every parent concerned about social media's impact on their children. The judge also implemented a series of unprecedented measures for minors' accounts in New Mexico, applicable for five years, though these will be frozen during the appeal process if Meta posts a bond. These measures do not extend to WhatsApp.

Key provisions include a monthly usage limit of 90 hours for Facebook and Instagram for users under 18. Notifications will be restricted between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., as well as during school hours. Default "like" counters will be hidden, and interactions between minors and Meta's AI chatbots that are "romantic or sexualized" are prohibited. Furthermore, adults are barred from using these assistants to simulate such exchanges with minors. Other obligations include human review of sexual exploitation reports within 48 hours and the removal of accounts suspected of belonging to users under 13 if age verification is not provided within 30 days.