Record Fine for Meta: US Judge Orders $942 Million Ruling Over Child Safety Failures

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A judge in the US state of New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay a total of $942 million — the largest penalty the Facebook and Instagram parent has faced to date over child safety issues.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled on Thursday that Meta must establish a new abatement fund of $567 million. This comes on top of a $375 million civil penalty a jury had previously ordered. The bulk of the new fund, around $420 million, is earmarked for clinical and other behavioral health programs to address harms that have already occurred. A further portion is designated for training and prevention efforts, including for teachers and health professionals.

Compared to Pollution

In his ruling, Biedscheid described Meta as a “public nuisance,” drawing a comparison to air pollution: advertising and content are the company’s product, he said, while the psychological harm and sexual exploitation of children are the resulting pollution. These harms are not confined to the platforms themselves, the judge wrote, but spread across the internet and ultimately affect the children involved, their families, schools, hospitals and law enforcement. According to the case record, this marks the first time a social media company has been legally designated a public nuisance.

Background: Lawsuit Filed in 2023

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the State of New Mexico in 2023. The suit argued that Meta’s recommendation algorithms steered young users toward harmful content and contacts, exposing them to sexually explicit material and potential predators. In an earlier phase of the trial, Meta was already found to have repeatedly violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act.

Additional Requirements Imposed on Meta

Beyond the monetary penalty, the court order requires Meta to implement further safety measures, including:

• Accounts belonging to minors may no longer be recommended to adults, and adults will be barred from messaging minors.
• Minors will be prohibited from sending or receiving nude images.
• A “one-strike” policy will apply to adult users who engage in child sexual exploitation.
• “Like” counts will be hidden by default for users under 18.
• Push notifications to minors will be banned overnight between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and during typical school hours (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) except on weekends.
• A mandatory monthly usage limit of 90 hours across Instagram and Facebook combined — roughly three hours per day — will apply to minors.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Meta will also be required to hide “like” counts on photos by default for users in New Mexico and to disclose the risks of its platforms to users there.

Meta Says It Will Appeal

A Meta spokesperson said the company disagrees with the ruling and will appeal. The company said it works hard to keep people safe on its platforms and has been transparent about the challenges of identifying harmful actors and content, adding that it remains confident in its record of protecting teens online.

Meta currently faces thousands of similar lawsuits in the United States. Earlier this year, the company lost a comparable case in Los Angeles. Another major trial is set to begin in California next week, in which nearly three dozen US state attorneys general are suing Meta over alleged violations of child privacy laws.