A New Mexico court has mandated that Meta pay $567 million into a fund to combat the alleged mental health issues its social media platforms have caused among children. This decision comes after a jury in March determined that Meta knowingly contributed to mental health challenges faced by children and inadequately addressed child sexual exploitation on its platforms. With the recent ruling, Meta’s financial responsibility in the case has risen to $942 million.
Of the awarded amount, $420 million is earmarked for mental health treatment services specifically targeting young people in New Mexico. The remaining funds will be allocated to prevention and awareness initiatives, screening services, and additional measures to be implemented over the next five years. The court also directed Meta to enhance child-safety protocols on Facebook and Instagram by improving age-verification systems, offering clearer information on safety and privacy features, and developing methods to identify underage users below the age of 13.
Furthermore, Meta is required to collaborate with schools or child-safety organizations to establish a reporting system for accounts suspected to belong to children under the age of 13. The company must also delete personal data collected from these underage users and provide biannual progress reports regarding its adherence to the court’s mandates. However, the court refrained from imposing a requirement for universal age verification solely in New Mexico, citing concerns regarding fairness and existing federal privacy protections for children.
Despite the ruling, Meta has expressed its intent to appeal the decision, asserting that it is committed to safeguarding users and has already implemented measures to address harmful content and online safety issues. The case is part of increasing legal scrutiny on Meta, with similar lawsuits being pursued in other states across the United States, focusing on the potential harmful impact of its platforms on young users.