Meta fined $567m in landmark US child safety ruling
A US judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million for failing to warn the public about the dangers its platforms pose to children, marking the largest child safety penalty against the company.
Meta has been ordered by a court in New Mexico to pay $567 million (£421 million) in additional penalties, after a judge found the company had failed to warn the public about the dangers its platforms represent for children. The ruling, issued on Thursday, is the largest of its kind against the social media giant in a child safety case.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid determined that Meta constitutes a 'public nuisance' with effects similar to air pollution. He ordered that the money be paid into a fund aimed at reducing the likelihood of future harm. This amount comes in addition to $375 million in fines that Meta was already required to pay as part of the same legal proceedings.
In his written decision, Biedscheid drew an analogy between Meta and a factory, saying that the company's products are advertising and content, and that its operational consequences include 'the psychological harm and sexual exploitation of children' — pollution that must be mitigated.
Meta, which operates Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads, has been contacted by the BBC for comment. The company had previously stated that it intends to appeal the earlier $375 million verdict.
