Meta Ordered to Pay $942 Million in New Mexico Child Safety Case

Meta must pay a total of $942 million to address harm caused to children on its platforms, New Mexico state Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled Thursday. The order follows a March jury finding that Meta was liable for failing to protect kids and approving a $375 million fine. The judge added $567 million and ordered Meta to make platform changes aimed at making its services safer for children.

The judge said the money should be placed into an abatement fund. Most of that fund, $420 million, is slated for treatment services. The structure frames the payment not only as a penalty, but as funding tied to addressing harms identified in the case.

The order requires Meta to strengthen age verification in New Mexico. It also limits users under 18 in the state to a combined 90 hours a month on Facebook and Instagram. Other required changes include turning off most push notifications for minors overnight and during school hours, and hiding “like” counts by default unless a parent or guardian allows them to be shown.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez called the decision a victory for parents and children, and separately described it as a “blueprint” for holding social media companies liable for products that endanger children. He said other states and countries now have a roadmap they can follow. Meta said it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal, saying it remains confident in its record of protecting teens online.