A New Mexico state judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a fund for children's mental health, according to court records and news reports.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid issued the 68-page order on Aug. 6, directing the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to allocate $420 million for treatment services and the remaining funds for prevention and awareness initiatives [1] [2]. The order states that the Court finds that the weight of the evidence presented demonstrates that Meta's platforms are a cause of and substantial contributing factor to the youth mental health crisis in New Mexico.
Biedscheid designated Meta a "public nuisance," comparing the company to a polluting factory [3]. The order adds to a $375 million judgment issued in March, bringing total penalties in the case to $942 million [4].
Meta, parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, said it plans to appeal the decision [2]. The company maintains it has implemented measures to protect minors from harmful content [2].
Court Mandates Platform Changes
The ruling directs Meta to delete the accounts of users under 13 [2]. Push notifications for minors must be disabled between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the academic year and between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on normal days, the order states [2] [4].
Like counts must
