US Court Fines Meta $567m Over Child Safety on Facebook, Instagram

A court in the US state of New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $567 million and implement stricter protections for children using Facebook and Instagram after ruling that the company created a “public nuisance” by exposing young users to online risks.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday, follows an earlier jury verdict in March that imposed a separate $375 million penalty after finding Meta liable for practices that made children vulnerable to online predators.

The latest ruling also introduces mandatory changes to how Meta operates its platforms for minors, marking one of the strongest judicial actions yet against a social media company over child safety concerns.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez described the decision as a major victory for families, saying it reinforces the responsibility of technology companies to protect children rather than profit from unsafe practices.

According to Torrez, the case focused on ensuring that children can use digital platforms without being exposed to harmful design features or online exploitation.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled that teenagers are particularly vulnerable to engagement-driven features such as autoplay, infinite scrolling, visible “like” counts, push notifications and algorithm-based recommendations.

To reduce excessive social media use, the court ordered Meta to limit push notifications and cap platform usage for users under 18 to 90 hours per month, equivalent to about three hours daily.

The company must also block certain notifications during school hours and conceal public “like” counts for young users.

Additionally, Meta has been directed to strengthen measures preventing children under 13 in New Mexico from creating Facebook or Instagram accounts and to provide the court with compliance reports twice each year.

Of the $567 million award, about three-quarters will be placed in a mental health treatment fund to be disbursed over five years, while the remaining funds will support awareness campaigns and child protection programmes.

Meta said it disagreed with the judgment and confirmed it would appeal the ruling, maintaining that it has invested significantly in online safety measures for teenagers.

The company argued that the court’s findings misrepresented its efforts to protect younger users across its platforms.

The case is the first in the United States to find a social media company liable for creating a public nuisance over risks to children.

The ruling comes as more than 30 US states continue legal action against Meta over allegations that its products contribute to mental health problems among young people.

Recent lawsuits involving Meta and other major technology companies, including Google, TikTok, Snap and YouTube, have also resulted in significant settlements and judgments related to child safety and digital wellbeing.