A New Mexico judge ordered new child safeguards for Meta. Advocates hope other courts follow

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to implement new child safety measures on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, fining the company $567 million. The ruling, stemming from a lawsuit by the state of New Mexico, mandates changes such as a 90-hour monthly time limit for users under 18, AI chatbot restrictions, and mandatory warnings. These measures are intended to address the psychological harm social media can inflict on children, which the judge likened to pollution. While Meta plans to appeal and the measures only apply to New Mexico users, advocates hope this ruling sets a precedent for other courts. Challenges remain regarding the implementation and effectiveness of age verification and other ordered safeguards.

A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, to pay $567 million to address harms to young people on its platforms. This ruling follows a previous determination by jurors that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation. The majority of the funds, $420 million, will be allocated to treatment services for youth, with the remainder supporting awareness, prevention, and screening initiatives over five years. While the court cannot mandate age verification for children under 13 due to federal privacy laws, Meta is ordered to enhance its age assurance tools, develop an under-13 prediction model, and implement proof-of-age requests for estimated underage users in New Mexico. The company must also partner with schools to create a reporting portal for potential underage users and delete personal data collected on those under 13.

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million and implement changes to its platforms to address harm to young users' mental health. This ruling follows a jury's March finding that Meta violated the state's consumer protection law by misrepresenting the safety of its platforms for youth. The initial jury award was $375 million, with the judge adding to the total in this second phase of the trial. The funds will be allocated to treatment services, awareness, prevention, and screening for young people over five years. The judge also mandated changes to Meta's platforms, including informational screens about protection features and best practices. Meta has stated it will appeal the decision.

A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to pay $567 million for mental health harm to children stemming from its platforms. This ruling is part of the second phase of a trial where Meta was previously found liable for knowingly harming children's mental health and concealing information about child sexual exploitation. The majority of the payment, $420 million, will fund treatment services for young people, with the remainder allocated to awareness, prevention, and screening over five years. The judge also mandated changes to Facebook and Instagram, including clearer explanations of protection features and best practices. Meta has stated it disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal.