A judge in the US state of New Mexico has ordered Meta on Thursday to pay $567 million (€492 million) and overhaul how Facebook and Instagram operate for young users in the state.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid's ruling, issued in Santa Fe, states the company created a "public nuisance" that harmed children's mental health. It also comes on top of $375 million in damages a jury ordered against Meta in March, bringing the company's total New Mexico liability to $942 million. That March verdict found Meta violated the state's consumer protection law by misleading the public about the safety of its platforms for children.
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State Attorney General Raul Torrez sued Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, in 2023. On Thursday, he said the ruling holds the company accountable for design choices that put children at risk.
"Today's decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online," he said.
