US Court Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million Over Child Mental Health Harm

A court in New Mexico has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million over claims that its platforms harmed the mental health of young users.

The decision came after a trial in which a jury found that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and hid information about child exploitation risks on its platforms.

With this latest ruling, the total amount Meta has been ordered to pay has reached $942 million, including a $375 million fine imposed earlier this year.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid said $420 million of the new payment will be used for treatment services for young people. The remaining money will fund prevention programs, awareness campaigns, mental health screenings, and other support measures over the next five years.

The court also ordered Meta to improve safety on Facebook and Instagram. The company must provide clearer safety information, better reporting tools, and educational measures to help protect young users.

The case began after a 2023 investigation into child exploitation on Meta’s platforms. Former content moderators said some harmful material related to child grooming was reported but not properly escalated.

During the trial, prosecutors asked for stronger protections, including limits on addictive platform features, better age verification, and stronger privacy safeguards for children.

The court ruled that federal privacy laws prevent Meta from requiring age verification for children under 13. However, the company must continue improving its systems to identify young users in New Mexico.

Under the ruling, Meta must ask for proof of age from users it believes are under 13 and treat them as minors until their age is confirmed. The company must also develop an artificial intelligence system within two years to help identify children under 13.

Meta must also create a reporting system that allows schools and child safety organizations to report accounts believed to belong to children under 13. The company must delete any personal information collected from those users.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez welcomed the ruling, saying it ensures technology companies cannot “profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence.”

Meta rejected the decision and said it plans to appeal. The company said it has taken steps to improve safety and protect teenagers on its platforms.

The ruling comes as Meta continues to face legal challenges across the United States over the effects of social media on young people, including claims linking Instagram to depression, eating disorders, and other mental health problems. Last month, Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube were also sued by the families of four teenagers who died by suicide, who claimed the platforms contributed to years of harmful online experiences.