Meta has been ordered to pay an additional $567 million after a New Mexico court ruled that the company’s social media platforms contributed to a youth mental health crisis in the state.
The latest decision brings the total financial penalties against Meta in the case to approximately $942 million.
The ruling came during the second phase of New Mexico’s child safety lawsuit, where the Santa Fe District Court found that Meta’s platforms were a significant contributing factor to public health and safety issues affecting teenagers. The court concluded that the company’s services created a public nuisance, leading to the latest financial judgment.
According to New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, the case has always focused on protecting children and holding one of the world’s largest technology companies accountable for practices that allegedly put young users at risk. He described the ruling as a victory for parents concerned about the impact of social media on their children and for young people who deserve a safer online experience.
The newly awarded $567 million will be placed into an abatement fund designed to support child safety initiatives across the state. The money will help finance awareness campaigns, prevention programs, mental health screening services, and treatment for people who have been harmed through the use of Meta’s platforms.
The latest judgment follows an earlier ruling in which Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in civil penalties during the first phase of the lawsuit. Combined, the two decisions raise the company’s total penalties in the New Mexico case to nearly $1 billion.
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Meta has rejected the court’s findings and confirmed that it plans to appeal the decision. Company spokesperson Andy Stone said Meta continues to invest heavily in protecting users, particularly teenagers, and argued that the ruling does not accurately reflect the company’s efforts to detect and remove harmful content or prevent abuse on its platforms.
