Meta has been mandated to pay a substantial $942 million following a US judge’s decision that the company failed to adequately protect children on its social media platforms.
The court in New Mexico levied a new $567 million fine, adding to a prior $375 million judgment in the same lawsuit. This ruling represents the most significant financial penalty Meta has encountered concerning child safety issues.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid labeled Meta a “public nuisance,” likening the impact of its platforms on children to the damage caused by pollution from a factory.
He noted that the detrimental effects of these platforms extend beyond the digital realm, impacting families, schools, and communities alike.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2023, charged Meta with exposing children to sexually explicit material and online predators through its recommendation algorithms.
The court concluded that Meta repeatedly breached New Mexico’s consumer protection statutes.
Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, expressed disagreement with the ruling and plans to appeal, asserting that it remains committed to investing significantly in safeguarding young users.
Beyond the financial penalty, the judge mandated that Meta implement stricter protective measures. These include preventing adults from messaging minors, eliminating “like” counts for users under 18, restricting notifications at night, and capping teenage usage of Facebook and Instagram to approximately three hours daily.
This decision intensifies the legal pressures on Meta, which is already dealing with thousands of lawsuits in the US over allegations that its platforms harm children and teenagers. It also comes amid increasing global governmental efforts to tighten regulations on child safety within social media.
