A New Mexico judge has mandated that Meta contribute $567 million to a fund dedicated to addressing the alleged mental health impacts on children due to its social media platforms. This legal action follows a jury verdict from March that determined Meta was knowingly involved in contributing to the mental health issues faced by children and did not sufficiently tackle child sexual exploitation on its platforms. With this new financial obligation, Meta’s total liability in this case now amounts to $942 million.
From the $567 million recently ordered, $420 million is allocated to providing mental health treatment services for the youth in New Mexico. The remaining funds are designated for initiatives such as prevention and awareness programs, screening services, and other related measures over a span of five years. Additionally, the court has instructed Meta to enhance child safety protocols on Facebook and Instagram by improving age-verification systems, offering clearer information about safety and privacy tools, and devising strategies to identify users who might be under 13 years of age.
Moreover, Meta is required to collaborate with educational institutions or child-safety organizations to establish a system that reports accounts suspected of belonging to children under 13. The company is also directed to erase personal data collected from these underage users and submit biannual progress reports on its adherence to the court’s directives. However, the court refrained from imposing a universal age verification exclusively in New Mexico, citing concerns regarding fairness and existing federal privacy safeguards for children.
Meta has expressed its disapproval of the court’s decision and announced plans to appeal, insisting that it has been proactive in protecting its users and addressing issues related to harmful content and online safety. This case adds to the mounting legal challenges Meta faces over claims that its platforms may adversely affect young users’ well-being. Similar legal actions are underway in other states across the United States.