New Mexico Judge Slaps Meta With $567 Million Penalty Over Child Safety

Judge Bryan Biedscheid’s order mandates that the bulk of the funds support mental health treatment over the next five years, with the remainder dedicated to prevention, screening, and coordination programs. Beyond the financial penalty, the court has imposed strict operational requirements on Meta, including a cap on usage for users under 18 to roughly three hours daily, the removal of visible "like" counts, and tighter restrictions to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram.

Meta, which plans to appeal the decision, maintains that it is committed to teen safety and disputes the characterization of its platforms as harmful. The company has argued that many of the features in question—such as algorithmic recommendations and infinite scrolling—are industry-wide standards, complicating the legal path forward. Attorney General Raul Torrez, who initiated the lawsuit in 2023, framed the ruling as a victory for families against corporate practices that prioritize engagement over user welfare.

This judgment follows a March verdict where a jury found Meta liable for endangering children, adding to the mounting pressure from over 30 US states pursuing similar litigation. As bellwether trials continue to unfold across the country, the New Mexico case serves as a high-stakes indicator of how courts may force tech giants to alter product design in response to widespread mental health concerns.