A New Mexico court has mandated that Meta allocate $567 million towards a fund designed to address the mental health impacts allegedly inflicted on children by its social media platforms. This decision follows a jury’s verdict in March which found that Meta had knowingly contributed to the deterioration of children’s mental health and inadequately handled child sexual exploitation issues on its platforms. With this ruling, Meta’s total financial liability in the case has now escalated to $942 million.
Out of the $567 million ordered in the recent judgment, $420 million is designated for mental health treatment services for young residents in New Mexico. The rest of the funds are to be utilized over the next five years for prevention and awareness initiatives, screening services, and other related measures. Additionally, the court has directed Meta to enhance child-safety protocols on both Facebook and Instagram. This includes improving age-assurance systems, offering clearer information on safety and privacy tools, and developing strategies to identify users who might be under the age of 13.
The ruling also requires Meta to collaborate with schools or child-safety organizations to establish a mechanism for reporting accounts suspected of being operated by children under the age of 13. Furthermore, the company is instructed to delete personal data collected from users below this age and to provide biannual progress reports on its adherence to the court’s mandates. Despite the comprehensive nature of the court’s order, it stopped short of enforcing universal age verification solely in New Mexico, citing fairness concerns and existing federal privacy laws for children.
Meta has expressed its disagreement with the court’s decision and announced plans to appeal. The company maintains that it is committed to protecting its users and has already implemented measures to address harmful content and enhance online safety. This case is part of a broader legal challenge facing Meta, as it deals with ongoing lawsuits in other U.S. states over allegations that its platforms contribute to negative effects on young users.