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A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay nearly $1 billion following a landmark case over allegations that its social media platforms harmed young people and exposed them to risks including sexual exploitation.
The ruling on Thursday, Aug. 6, added $567 million in fines to the $375 million Meta was ordered to pay during the first phase of the case in March. The combined penalties now total $942 million, according to the BBC and The Times.
New Mexico prosecutors accused Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of knowing its platforms could harm young users while failing to adequately prevent child sexual exploitation.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid described Meta as a "public nuisance" and compared the harm caused by its platforms to pollution that needs to be addressed. The order requires Meta to introduce several safety measures and contribute to a fund designed to reduce future harm and address its effects.
About $420 million of the penalties will reportedly be directed toward clinical and behavioral health programs and professionals intended to help treat harm that has already occurred.
The court also ordered Meta to introduce measures aimed at improving child safety. These include monthly limits on how much teenagers can use Instagram and Facebook, restrictions on notifications, and preventing unknown adults from contacting users under 18. Meta must also provide reports twice a year detailing its progress in implementing the measures.
Meta said it disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal. A company spokesperson said Meta works to protect users and has been transparent about the challenges involved in identifying harmful content and bad actors.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez welcomed the decision, saying the case was about protecting children and holding major technology companies accountable for practices that put young people at risk. He described the ruling as a victory for families concerned about the effects of social media on children.
The case originated from a lawsuit filed by New Mexico in 2023. Prosecutors argued that Meta's platforms exposed children to sexually explicit material and contact with sexual predators. The initial trial verdict found that the company repeatedly violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act and directed young users toward harmful content.
The case follows another major legal setback for Meta in March, when the company lost a Los Angeles County Superior Court trial involving allegations that it intentionally designed features to encourage young people to become addicted to platforms such as Instagram.
That case involved a young woman identified in court documents as "Kaley" or K.G.M., who also sued YouTube. She was awarded $6 million in damages after alleging that social media addiction had affected her mental health.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified during that trial and denied that the company's algorithms were intentionally designed to make children and teenagers addicted to its platforms.
