A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to pay $567 million for mental health harm to children from its platforms. Judge Bryan Biedscheid stated that $420 million of this sum would be used for treatment services for young people, with the remainder allocated for awareness, prevention, screening, and other costs over the next five years.
This ruling, issued on Thursday, is part of the second phase of a trial that Meta lost in March. During the initial phase, a jury found that the company knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms, imposing a $375 million fine.
The judge has also ordered Meta to implement changes, including building banner and informational screens on Facebook and Instagram. These screens are intended to explain protection features, best practices, and tools to address inappropriate comments. Meta has indicated it disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal.