A New Mexico state judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, to pay $567 million for harm caused to children’s mental health by its social media platforms.
In a 68-page ruling, Judge Bryan Biedscheid directed Meta to allocate $420 million toward treatment services for children and the remainder to prevention and awareness initiatives. The court found that Meta’s platforms are “a cause of and substantial contributing factor” to the youth mental health crisis in New Mexico.
The decision mandates that Meta delete accounts of users under 13 and disable push notifications for minors between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the academic year, and between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on non-school days. Additionally, like counts must remain hidden unless authorized by a parent.
This ruling follows a $375 million penalty Meta received earlier this year for violating New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act, which prohibits deceptive business practices. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez (D) stated the case is “about protecting children, standing up for families, and ensuring that one of the world’s largest technology companies cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence.”
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the company remains “confident in our record of protecting teens online” and will “defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.” Meta has indicated plans to appeal the decision. The ruling could set a precedent for holding technology companies accountable for their platforms’ effects on children’s mental health, reflecting a wider push by Western governments to regulate social media access for youth protection.
