Court Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million Over Harm to Children's Mental Health
Business
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million in compensation after finding that Facebook and Instagram harmed the mental health of children and teenagers. The award comes in addition to a previously imposed $375 million penalty issued by a jury.
Under Judge Brian Biedscheid's ruling, $420 million will fund programs supporting affected young people, while the remaining amount will finance training for teachers and healthcare professionals on addressing the harmful effects of social media on adolescents.
The court also directed Meta to introduce additional safeguards for minors. These include hiding public "like" counts for children's accounts, disabling push notifications during nighttime and school hours, and ensuring that platform algorithms do not recommend accounts belonging to children and teenagers to adult users.
In his decision, the judge stated that the harm caused by digital platforms extends beyond the online environment and affects children's lives in the real world. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described the ruling as a victory for parents and young people, emphasizing the need for a safer online environment.
Meta said it will appeal the decision, maintaining that it continues to invest heavily in user safety measures and disputing the court's conclusions.
The lawsuit was filed by New Mexico prosecutors in 2023. Similar legal actions against Meta are also pending in federal court and in several other U.S. states.
The court also directed Meta to introduce additional safeguards for minors. These include hiding public "like" counts for children's accounts, disabling push notifications during nighttime and school hours, and ensuring that platform algorithms do not recommend accounts belonging to children and teenagers to adult users.
In his decision, the judge stated that the harm caused by digital platforms extends beyond the online environment and affects children's lives in the real world. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described the ruling as a victory for parents and young people, emphasizing the need for a safer online environment.
Meta said it will appeal the decision, maintaining that it continues to invest heavily in user safety measures and disputing the court's conclusions.
The lawsuit was filed by New Mexico prosecutors in 2023. Similar legal actions against Meta are also pending in federal court and in several other U.S. states.
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