A New Mexico judge on Thursday ordered Meta to pay a $567 million fine, adding to a previous $375 million penalty from March and bringing the company’s total fines in the state to $942 million, in a case centered on social media harms and addiction among young users. The court also mandated operational changes, including removing visible Like counts, restricting such metrics for users under 18 without parental approval, pausing push notifications to minors between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and capping their platform usage at roughly 90 hours per month.
The judge found that significant numbers of New Mexico residents have experienced harm from Meta’s products, citing risks including sexual exploitation, educational interference, and negative mental health outcomes. While acknowledging Meta is not solely responsible for youth mental health struggles, the court determined the company created a substantial public nuisance requiring corrective action.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company plans to appeal, maintaining confidence in its safety record and disputing characterizations of the claims. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said the ruling holds Meta accountable for prioritizing engagement and profit over children’s safety, forcing meaningful changes to its operations in the state.
The decision follows a similar loss for Meta in a Los Angeles case in March, and comes as the company faces additional litigation nationwide, including a consolidated lawsuit from 33 states in federal court in Oakland, California, along with separate cases brought by states including Tennessee.
