New Mexico court orders Meta to pay additional $567M in child safety case

A New Mexico court judge on Thursday ordered Meta to pay a fine of $567 million, on top of the $375 million levied in March, in a case regarding social media harms and addiction, bringing total fines to $942 million. The court also ordered Meta to make changes to how its platforms function in the state, including removing Like counts and only showing such metrics to children under 18 with parental approval. Push notifications to underaged users must be paused between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and usage should be limited to 90 hours per month. The order cited sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes as harms. The judge acknowledged Meta is not the only platform causing a mental health crisis but stated its platforms play a significant part and constitute a public nuisance. Meta said it will appeal, with spokesperson Andy Stone emphasizing the company's efforts to keep users safe. Attorney General Raul Torrez stated that Meta knew its platforms were harming children and chose engagement and profit over safety, and this judgment holds the company accountable. The ruling follows a similar loss in Los Angeles in March. Meta faces other lawsuits, including a joint suit by 33 states consolidated in Oakland, California, and individual state actions like Tennessee's.