A court in New Mexico has mandated that Meta allocate $567 million to a fund designed to mitigate the mental health impacts purportedly inflicted on children by its social media platforms. This follows a jury decision in March that found Meta complicit in contributing to harm to children’s mental health and inadequately addressing child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The latest court order brings Meta’s total financial responsibility in the case to $942 million.
From the $567 million awarded, $420 million is earmarked for mental health treatment services for young people in New Mexico. The remaining funds will be directed towards prevention and awareness initiatives, screening services, and other measures to be implemented over a five-year period. Additionally, the court has required Meta to enhance child-safety protocols on Facebook and Instagram. This includes improving age-assurance systems, offering clearer information about safety and privacy tools, and developing methods to identify users who may be under the age of 13.
Meta is also required to collaborate with schools or child-safety organizations to establish a system for reporting accounts suspected of belonging to children under 13. The company must erase personal data collected from such users and submit biannual reports on its compliance with the court’s directives. However, the court refrained from imposing a universal age verification system exclusively in New Mexico, citing concerns about fairness and existing federal privacy safeguards for children.
In response to the ruling, Meta has expressed its intent to appeal, asserting that it is committed to user protection and has already taken measures to address harmful content and online safety issues. The lawsuit in New Mexico adds to the mounting legal challenges faced by Meta over claims that its platforms can have detrimental effects on young users. Similar legal actions are underway in other states across the United States.