Meta ordered to pay $942 million over harm to children
Brief
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay a total of $942 million after finding that Facebook and Instagram harmed young users and that the company misled consumers about the safety of its platforms.
Reportedly , the decision combines a $375 million civil-penalty verdict from March with a newly ordered $567 million abatement fund intended to address the damage. The court accepted the state’s argument that Meta had concealed what it knew about risks to children’s mental health and child sexual exploitation, while making misleading claims about the safety of its products.
Meta said it disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal.
“We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”
But the ruling is more than just a fine. It also imposes product-level obligations in New Mexico.