New Mexico Court Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million More in Child Safety Case

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay an additional 567 million dollars after ruling that the company created a public nuisance through its social media platforms that harmed children in the state. The latest penalty brings the total to 942 million dollars in a case that began with a 375 million dollar fine earlier this year for violating consumer protection laws.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid compared Meta's operations to a factory spewing pollution. He described advertising and content as the product while psychological harm and sexual exploitation of minors count as the emissions that damage public health. The court directed the money into an abatement fund focused on treatment and prevention programs for affected young people. Of that amount 420 million dollars is earmarked specifically for care related to social media harms.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez brought the lawsuit after undercover operations using decoy accounts for children 14 and younger revealed platforms serving sexually explicit material and allowing adults to contact and pressure minors into producing such content. Torrez described the outcome as a win for families concerned about social media's impact on youth development and safety.

The ruling also requires changes to platform features in the state. Meta must remove like counts visible to users under 18 without parental approval. Push notifications for minors are banned between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and total usage is capped at 90 hours per month. The judge noted that Meta's platforms contribute significantly to mental health issues and risks of exploitation even if other factors play a role.

Meta said it disagrees with the decision and plans to appeal. A company spokesman emphasized efforts to remove harmful content and protect teens while claiming the case misrepresents the facts. The firm faces thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide over addiction and safety concerns.

This case marks the first time a state has prevailed against Meta on child safety grounds. It highlights how a major technology company profited from features that drew in young users while downplaying documented risks of exploitation and emotional damage. Parents across the country have long voiced similar frustrations about platforms that prioritize engagement metrics over basic safeguards for the most vulnerable users. The New Mexico outcome shows courts can impose real costs when evidence of harm becomes impossible to ignore.