Meta ordered to pay further $567 million in New Mexico child safety case
A Santa Fe court has ruled Meta must pay $567 million over harm to teen mental health, pushing the company's total penalties in New Mexico's case to nearly $1 billion.
A New Mexico district court in Santa Fe has issued a ruling in the second phase of a landmark case against Meta over child safety online, ordering the company to pay $567 million. In the decision published Thursday, the court found that Meta's platforms are a "significant contributing cause" of a teen mental health crisis affecting public health and safety across the state.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said the case has always centered on protecting children and standing up for families, ensuring a major technology company cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without facing consequences. He described the ruling as a victory for parents worried about social media's effect on their children.
Funds directed toward abatement
The $567 million will go into an abatement fund supporting awareness and prevention programs, screening services, and treatment for people harmed by the company's platforms. This ruling adds to the $375 million in civil penalties Meta was ordered to pay after the case's first phase, bringing the company's total charges in the New Mexico case to $942 million.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal. According to the statement, Meta works to keep people safe on its platforms and has been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content. The company said it will continue defending itself against claims it believes misrepresent the facts.
