A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, to pay an additional $567 million (£421 million) over child safety violations, bringing the company's total fines in the case to $942 million. Judge Bryan Biedscheid issued the ruling on Thursday, describing Meta as a “public nuisance” for failing to protect children from harmful content and exploitation on its platforms.
Judge compares Meta's harm to factory pollution
In his ruling, Judge Biedscheid drew a stark analogy, comparing Meta's impact on children to pollution from a factory. He stated that Meta's advertising and content are its products, while “the psychological harm and sexual exploitation of children” amount to pollution that must be addressed. This latest penalty follows an earlier $375 million fine Meta was ordered to pay in the same case, which originated from a 2023 lawsuit filed by the state of New Mexico.
The lawsuit accused Meta of putting children at risk by exposing young users to sexually explicit material and facilitating contact with sexual predators. During the first phase of the trial, the court found Meta had repeatedly violated New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act, with its recommendation algorithms effectively “steering” young users toward harmful content and potentially dangerous individuals.
Meta plans to appeal, denies wrongdoing
Meta has responded to the ruling with defiance. A company spokesman said: “We disagree with the ruling and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content.” The spokesman added: “We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”
The latest penalty brings the total fines in the New Mexico case to $942 million, making it the largest fine Meta has faced specifically over child safety issues. The ruling is also notable as it appears to be the first time a social media company has been declared a public nuisance, a legal term typically reserved for threats to public health or safety.
Meta faces thousands of lawsuits across the US
The New Mexico case is just one part of Meta's broader legal challenges. The company is currently facing thousands of lawsuits across the United States over similar allegations related to child safety and platform design. Earlier this year, Meta lost a landmark case in Los Angeles, where a court ruled that the company could be held liable for building platforms designed to be addictive.
Despite the mounting legal pressure, the financial impact of the latest fine may be limited for Meta. Bruce Daisley, a former European vice president of Twitter (now X), described the $567 million penalty as “a drop in the ocean” for the tech giant. In its most recent financial results, Meta reported $61 billion in revenue between April and June, a 28% increase compared to the same period last year.
Wider implications for social media regulation
Daisley suggested the case could have broader implications for the industry. “But it's an indication that we are moving to a stage where social media is going to be tackled around the world,” he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Former UK safeguarding minister Jess Phillips also told Today that legal actions against major technology companies in the US could give the UK more confidence to take stronger action against Big Tech without worrying about damaging UK-US diplomatic relations.
The money from the latest penalty is expected to go into a fund designed to help reduce future harm. For now, Meta says it will appeal the New Mexico ruling, ensuring that the legal battle over how social media companies protect children is far from finished.
