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New Mexico court orders Meta to pay additional $567M in child safety case
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million in fines related to child safety and social media addiction. This comes atop a previous fine of $375 million, bringing the total to $942 million. The court has mandated operational changes, such as restricting certain functionalities for minors to mitigate risks associated with its platforms, particularly concerning mental health and exploitation. The ruling highlights the ongoing accountability challenges faced by social media companies regarding their impact on youth.
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Published 7 Aug 2026, 12:40 UTC2 min read
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Summary
TL;DR
- New Mexico court fines Meta $567 million for child safety violations.
- Total penalties against Meta now amount to $942 million.
- Mandatory changes include altering platform functionalities for minors.
- Push notifications for underaged users restricted during late hours.
- Meta plans to appeal the ruling.
Interesting facts
- The judge noted that Meta's platforms significantly contribute to mental health issues among youth.
- Meta's response claims a commitment to user safety amidst the ruling.
- The ruling comes after similar negative legal outcomes for Meta in other jurisdictions.