SANTA FE, N.M. (TNND) — A New Mexico judge on Thursday ordered Meta Platforms to pay $567 million and implement changes to protect children on Facebook and Instagram.
Judge Bryan Biedcheid said the bulk of the money — $420 million — will be used for treatment services for young people, while the rest will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services, and other costs over the next five years.
The ruling concludes the second phase of a landmark lawsuit over the company’s social media practices. It comes after a March jury verdict found Meta liable for violating New Mexico consumer protection laws by misleading users about the safety of its platforms and harming children and teenagers.
In that phase of the trial, jurors ordered the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who brought the lawsuit, previously called the outcome “a historic victory” for children and families, arguing the company prioritized profits over the safety and metal health of young users.
“The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety,” Torrez said in a news release issued in March. “Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew.”
Meta denied the allegations, saying it has invested heavily in safety tools, parental controls and age-appropriate protections. The company argued that many of the remedies sought by the state are impractical and could conflict with federal law and free speech protections.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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