In a significant legal development, a court in New Mexico has mandated that Meta pay $567 million into a designated fund to tackle the alleged mental health issues faced by children due to its social media platforms. This decision follows a March jury verdict that concluded Meta was aware of the mental health risks posed to children and inadequately handled child sexual exploitation on its platforms. With this latest order, the total financial liability for Meta in this case now stands at $942 million.
The ruling allocates $420 million of the awarded amount specifically for mental health treatment services targeting the youth in New Mexico. The remaining funds are earmarked for various initiatives, including prevention and awareness programs, screening services, and other related measures over a five-year period. Additionally, the court has directed Meta to enhance child-safety protocols on Facebook and Instagram.
Under the court’s directives, Meta is required to bolster its age-assurance systems, provide clearer information regarding safety and privacy tools, and develop mechanisms to identify users potentially under the age of 13. The company is also tasked with collaborating with schools or child-safety organizations to create a reporting system for accounts suspected of belonging to users under 13. Furthermore, Meta must delete any personal data collected from users below this age threshold and submit biannual progress reports on its compliance with these orders.
While the court stopped short of imposing universal age verification exclusively in New Mexico, citing potential fairness issues and existing federal privacy protections for children, Meta has expressed its disagreement with the ruling. The company announced its intention to appeal, asserting that it is committed to user protection and has already taken measures to address harmful content and enhance online safety.
This case contributes to the mounting legal challenges Meta faces concerning allegations that its platforms may adversely impact young users. Similar lawsuits are currently progressing in other states across the United States.