A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million in fines, bringing the total penalties in a case over social media harms and addiction to $942 million. This latest ruling follows a $375 million judgment in March, marking a significant escalation in the state's legal battle against the tech giant.
In addition to the financial penalty, the court mandated operational changes within the state. Meta must remove 'Like' counts and only display such engagement metrics to users under 18 with parental or guardian approval. Push notifications for minors will be suspended between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and their monthly usage is capped at 90 hours—roughly three hours per day.
The order states that 'significant numbers of people in New Mexico experience harm from Meta's products due to risks of sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes.' The judge acknowledged that Meta is not the sole contributor to the youth mental health crisis but asserted that its platforms play a substantial role. He ruled that the company has created a significant public nuisance and must take steps to mitigate it.
Meta has announced plans to appeal the judgment. In an emailed statement, spokesperson Andy Stone said, 'We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content. We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.'
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez welcomed the decision, stating, 'For years, Meta knew its platforms were harming New Mexico's kids, from feeding a youth mental health crisis to connecting predators with children, and it chose engagement and profit over their safety. Today, Meta is paying for that choice. This judgment holds the company accountable for the damage it caused to our children, our families, and our schools, and it forces real changes to how Meta operates in New Mexico.'
The ruling follows a similar loss for Meta in Los Angeles in March, where a jury found the company negligent in creating addictive patterns. Meta is also facing multiple other lawsuits across the country, including a consolidated case from 33 states in an Oakland, California federal court, and individual actions from states like Tennessee. As of 2026, the legal pressure on social media platforms regarding youth safety continues to intensify, with this New Mexico ruling serving as a notable precedent.
via TechCrunch AI