Law & Justice
Meta ordered to pay $567m in New Mexico child harm case
Meta has been ordered by a New Mexico judge to pay $567 million over five years and change some Facebook and Instagram features after the state said the company created a public nuisance that endangered children.
The order follows a March jury finding that Meta was liable for making young users vulnerable to predators on its platforms. Meta was previously ordered to pay $375 million in the same case.
Meta said it disagreed with Thursday's ruling and would appeal. The company said it remained confident in its record of protecting teenagers online and would continue to defend itself against claims it said misrepresented the facts.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez called the decision a victory for parents and children, saying the case was about protecting children and families.
About three-quarters of the $567 million ordered Thursday is to go to a mental health treatment fund over five years. The rest is to be used for awareness and prevention programs and to ensure Meta carries out the ordered changes.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid said teenagers were particularly susceptible to features designed to capture and boost engagement, including autoplay, infinite scrolling, like counts, push notifications and algorithmic recommendations.
The ruling orders Meta to limit push notifications and usage to 90 hours a month for users under 18 in New Mexico, or about three hours a day on average. It also orders Meta to block certain notifications during school hours, hide like counts, continue efforts to keep children under 13 in New Mexico off Facebook and Instagram, and report to the court twice a year on compliance.
AFP reported that it was the first time a US court had found a social media company guilty of creating a public nuisance, amid thousands of US lawsuits alleging harms to children and mental health.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Linda Singer said Meta concealed internal findings about risks to young people while its algorithms directed adults toward content posted by teenagers. In March, the company was also found to have violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act by misleading consumers about the safety of its products for children.
More than 30 US states are suing Meta over similar allegations. AFP reported that a major trial against Meta was set to open in California the following week.
Update
The ruling was described as the first time a US court has found a social media firm guilty of creating a public nuisance.
Meta was ordered to block certain notifications altogether during school hours for users under 18 in New Mexico.
A major trial against Meta over similar child and mental health allegations was set to open in California the following week.
AFP reported additional related case outcomes, including confidential settlements and a March Los Angeles jury award involving Meta and Google.
Source note: AFP news report published on 7 August 2026 at 10:23:16 UTC.
Update
Meta must provide the court with updates twice a year on compliance efforts.
The ruling orders Meta to make product changes, including continued efforts to keep children in New Mexico under 13 off Facebook and Instagram.
The judge ordered Meta to limit push notifications and usage to 90 hours a month for users under 18 and to hide like counts.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid noted that teenagers are particularly susceptible to engagement features such as autoplay, infinite scrolling, like counts, push notifications and algorithmic recommendations.
More than 30 US states are suing Meta over similar allegations, with a potential trial set to begin in August in Oakland, California.
Source note: AFP news report published on 7 August 2026 at 01:37:34 UTC.
Update
Meta said it disagreed with the ruling and would appeal.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said the decision was a victory for parents and children seeking safer online conditions.
About three-quarters of the $567 million fund is to be used for mental health treatment, with the rest allocated to awareness, prevention, screening, referral, coordination, implementation and evaluation programs.
The March jury finding included a conclusion that Meta violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act by misleading consumers about the safety of its products for children.
Source note: AFP news report published on 7 August 2026 at 00:55:13 UTC.
Update
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay the sum over five years.
The order followed New Mexico’s claims that Meta created a public nuisance and harmed children.
Meta was previously ordered in March to pay $375 million in damages to New Mexico after a jury found it liable for endangering children.
Source note: AFP news report published on 7 August 2026 at 00:24:07 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Meta plans to appeal, so the final legal outcome may change.
The supplied material does not state whether or when all ordered product changes will take effect.
Source
AFP news report published on .