A New Mexico court has mandated Meta to pay an additional $567 million penalty, compounding a $375 million levy from March, in a landmark case addressing social media-induced harms and addiction. This latest ruling elevates the company's total court-ordered payments to $942 million.
Furthermore, the court has compelled Meta to implement significant modifications to its digital platforms. These include the removal of "Like" counts, with the stipulation that such engagement metrics be displayed to users under 18 only with explicit parental or guardian consent. The order also dictates a suspension of push notifications for underage users between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., alongside a strict monthly usage cap of 90 hours, equating to approximately three hours per day.
The judicial order explicitly stated, “Significant numbers of people in New Mexico experience harm from Meta’s products due to risks of sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes.”
While acknowledging that Meta is not solely responsible for the escalating mental health crisis among the state's youth, the judge affirmed that its platforms bear a substantial contribution. He concluded that the company has created a considerable "public nuisance" within New Mexico, necessitating its abatement.
Meta has announced its intention to appeal the judgment.
In an emailed statement, company spokesperson Andy Stone asserted, “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. We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”
State Attorney General Raul Torrez issued a statement, declaring, “For years, Meta knew its platforms were harming New Mexico’s kids, from feeding a youth mental health crisis to connecting predators with children, and it chose engagement and profit over their safety.” He further emphasized, “Today, Meta is paying for that choice. This judgment holds the company accountable for the damage it caused to our children, our families, and our schools, and it forces real changes to how Meta operates in New Mexico.”
This latest ruling follows a similar setback for Meta in Los Angeles in March, where a court also found against the social media giant for fostering addictive user patterns.
Meta is currently confronting numerous other legal challenges across the nation. Among these, a significant joint lawsuit initiated by 33 states has been consolidated in a federal court in Oakland, California. Additionally, several individual states, including Tennessee, have filed their own distinct cases against the company.
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