A New Mexico court just delivered one of the biggest blows yet to Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram. The court ordered Meta to pay $567 million to help young people who were hurt by its platforms. Combined with an earlier $375 million penalty from March, Meta now owes New Mexico $942 million total.
Matthew P. Bergman and our firm have spent years working with families whose children were harmed by Meta’s platforms and filing Meta addiction and harm lawsuits on their behalf. This ruling is a big deal. It’s one of the strongest signals yet that courts are ready to hold Meta responsible for the damage its products have caused to kids.
Here’s what happened, why it matters, and what it means if your child or teen has been affected.
New Mexico Court Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million and Change Its Platforms
Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled that Meta created a “public nuisance” in New Mexico. In plain terms, that means the court found Meta’s products caused real, ongoing harm to the public, especially to kids.
The judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a fund. Most of that money, $420 million, will go toward mental health treatment for young people. The rest will pay for awareness programs, screening services, and other support over the next five years.
The court also ordered Meta to make changes to how its platforms work for young users in New Mexico. This isn’t just about money. It’s about forcing real changes to how these products are built.
How This Case Started: A Jury Already Found Meta Liable in March
This ruling didn’t come out of nowhere. Back in March, a jury found that Meta violated New Mexico’s consumer protection law over 75,000 times. The jury said Meta misrepresented how safe its platforms were for young users, and ordered the company to pay the maximum penalty allowed: $375 million.
This second ruling picks up where that first one left off. The court found that Meta used design features like endless scrolling, autoplay, and constant notifications to keep kids hooked. According to the court, these features are linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide risk among young people.
Our founder, Matthew P. Bergman and our firm, has represented families in similar cases across the country, including the first case of this kind to ever go to trial. He explained why this ruling stands out:
“This is the first finding that a court has made that the mental health crisis young people are undergoing is a direct consequence of the design decisions of social media, and in particular Meta, and their decision to focus on addicting and engagement over the safety of kids.” – Attorney Matthew P. Bergman
Meta Knew How to Make Its Platforms Safer and Chose Not To
One of the most frustrating parts of this case is that Meta didn’t need a court order to know what to do. According to Matt, the safety changes the judge is now requiring are the same changes Meta’s own internal safety teams had already recommended, years before this ruling.
“These are common sense changes that the judge required that Meta’s own internal safety personnel have been recommending to the company for years. They just won’t implement those changes if it costs them a dollar of revenue.” – Attorney Matthew P. Bergman
That’s the pattern we see again and again with Meta. The company often knows how to make its products safer. It just doesn’t want to spend the money to do it, unless a court makes it.
The Court Also Cracked Down on Meta’s AI Chatbots and Child Safety
This ruling didn’t stop at social media feeds. The judge also ordered Meta to stop children in New Mexico from having romantic or sexual conversations with its AI chatbots. Adults in New Mexico were also barred from using Meta’s chatbots to simulate or discuss sexual conversations involving a child.
This part of the ruling matters because it shows courts are starting to look closely at Meta’s AI products, not just its social media apps. As Meta and other companies build AI chatbots that kids can talk to, we expect to see more cases like this one in the future.
“What concerns me is that young people in particular are engaging with AI, not to get information, but to develop emotional relationships. Unfortunately, we’ve had a number of cases where children are sexually abused from AI chatbots, or in many cases, guided and encouraged to take their lives.”- Attorney Matthew P. Bergman
Why This Ruling Matters for Families Beyond New Mexico
New Mexico isn’t the only place holding Meta accountable. A separate trial against Meta is currently underway in Tennessee. Meta was also found responsible, alongside another platform, for harming a young user in a recent California case. And Meta is set to face trial soon in a federal case where nearly 30 states are seeking damages for the harm its platforms caused young users.
Just last week, SMVLC filed a new lawsuit that names Meta as a defendant on behalf of four families who lost their children to suicide. These families believe their children’s deaths were connected to years of harm caused by Meta’s platforms.
“Families don’t care two wits about the money. They care about justice, and they care about accountability. Every one of these parents says, if one family is spared the anguish that we have gone through, if one child is saved the fate that befell our children, it’s all worth it.” – Attorney Matthew P. Bergman
What to Do If Meta’s Platforms Have Harmed Your Child
If you’re a parent reading this, you may be wondering if any of this applies to your family. If your child has struggled with depression, anxiety, self-harm, an eating disorder, or has been the target of sexual exploitation connected to Facebook, Instagram, or Meta’s AI chatbots, you’re not alone. And you may have legal options.
We know how hard it is to come forward. Talking about what happened to your child isn’t easy. But rulings like this one show that courts are listening, and that families who speak up against Meta can make a real difference, not just for their own child, but for kids everywhere.
If you’d like to talk with someone about your family’s situation, SMVLC offers a free, confidential case evaluation. There’s no cost and no obligation. We’re here to listen and help you understand what legal options may be available to you and your family.
