Meta Ordered to Pay Additional $567 Million in New Mexico Public Nuisance Case

A New Mexico district court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million in the second phase of a lawsuit alleging that the company’s platforms constitute a public nuisance. The ruling, issued Thursday by the Santa Fe district court, brings Meta’s total penalties in the case to $942 million.

The court determined that Meta’s platforms are a “significant contributing cause” of a teen mental health crisis affecting public health and safety in New Mexico. The $567 million will be directed to an abatement fund intended to support awareness and prevention measures, screening services, and treatment for individuals affected by the platforms. This amount is separate from the $375 million in civil penalties Meta was ordered to pay following the first phase of the proceedings.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez stated that the case concerns protecting children and holding technology companies accountable for practices that affect young users. “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,” Torrez said. “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.”

Meta has indicated it will appeal the ruling. In a statement, company spokesperson Andy Stone said the company disagrees with the decision and maintains that it has worked to address safety issues on its platforms. “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,” Stone said. “We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”

The case centers on allegations that Meta’s social media services have contributed to mental health challenges among adolescents in the state. The two-phase structure of the litigation addressed civil penalties first, followed by the abatement fund determination. Meta operates Instagram and Facebook, platforms that have faced scrutiny from multiple states over youth safety practices. The company has previously implemented features such as time limits and parental controls aimed at teen users.