Meta Faces $567 Million Fine in New Mexico Child Safety Case

Meta has been ordered to pay an additional $567 million in New Mexico following a court case focused on child safety, social media addiction, and alleged harm to young users.

The latest penalty comes on top of a $375 million fine issued earlier this year, bringing the total amount Meta has been ordered to pay in the case to $942 million.

New Rules for Meta Platforms

The New Mexico court has also ordered Meta to make several changes to how its platforms operate for users under 18 in the state.

One of the requirements involves Like counts. 

Meta will have to remove these metrics for children unless a parent or guardian gives permission for them to be displayed.

The court also ordered Meta to stop sending push notifications to underage users between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. 

Another restriction limits their use of Meta’s platforms to 90 hours per month, which is roughly three hours a day.

The judge said Meta’s services have contributed to problems involving youth mental health, education, and online safety.

Meta Plans to Appeal

Meta has rejected the claims and said it intends to appeal the judgment.

The company maintains that it works to protect teenagers and remove harmful content from its services. 

Meta also argues that the case does not accurately represent its efforts to keep young people safe online.

New Mexico officials, however, have taken a different position. 

The state’s attorney general said Meta had been aware of risks affecting children but failed to give safety enough priority.

Growing Legal Pressure on Meta

The New Mexico ruling is part of a much larger legal battle involving social media companies and youth safety.

Meta has faced lawsuits from multiple states over allegations that its platforms can encourage addictive patterns among young users. 

Another court case in Los Angeles also resulted in a ruling against Meta earlier this year.

A separate lawsuit involving 33 states is also moving through the federal court system.

These cases could create further pressure on Meta to change how its platforms are designed and how young users interact with them.

What the Ruling Means

The New Mexico decision highlights the growing demand for stronger protections for children using social media. 

Instead of relying only on parental supervision, lawmakers and courts are increasingly looking at changes that platforms themselves can make.

For Meta, the financial penalty is significant, but the required product changes could have a longer-term impact.

Conclusion

The $567 million New Mexico fine against Meta adds to the company’s growing legal challenges over child safety and social media use. 

The court-ordered restrictions also show that regulators are pushing platforms to take greater responsibility for protecting young users. 

Meta plans to appeal, but the case could influence how social media companies design and manage services for children and teenagers in the future.