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A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million in fines related to child safety concerns, marking a significant escalation in the social media company’s legal troubles. This latest judgment, issued Thursday by a state court judge, follows a previous $375 million fine handed down in March, bringing the company’s total financial obligation in this case to $942 million.
Beyond financial penalties, the court imposed operational restrictions on Meta’s platforms within New Mexico. The company must remove visible like counts for users under 18 unless parents grant permission, disable push notifications to minors between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and cap monthly usage for children at 90 hours. The judge determined that Meta’s platforms constitute a public nuisance in the state, citing concerns about sexual exploitation risks, educational interference, and negative mental health effects on young users.
Meta announced plans to appeal the decision, with a company spokesperson defending its safety efforts and questioning the accuracy of claims against them. State Attorney General Raul Torrez, however, praised the ruling as holding the technology giant accountable for prioritizing engagement and profits over children’s wellbeing. The judgment represents one of multiple legal challenges Meta currently faces across the United States, including lawsuits from 33 states and separate actions by individual states like Tennessee.
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Originally reported by Techcrunch →
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