The hefty fine of $940m placed on Meta in New Mexico has retained Social Media in the centre of unwanted discourse and concerned efforts by jurisdictional authorities to deal with a menace that threatens today as well as the future of nations since the young ones are mostly affected in a world that seems to be laced with social poison. Although Social Media has become the nexus of human interactions, including work, communications, entertainment and other social relationships, the well-being of teens who virtually live on Social Medial platforms has been a cardinal concern to several nations. While some are taking proactive measures to restrict access, including placing age restrictions, quite a number have gone beyond the confines of what is possible from their end, to look at the activities of platform providers who are able to hide some sneaky details that could become harmful to young minds.
For instance, a jury ordered Meta to pay a $375m penalty for misleading the public after it found out that the organisation hid internal research about teen mental health harms and child safety risks. In what has now come to be known as Public Nuisance Ruling, a judge ordered Meta to shell out another $567m abatement fund, declaring the organisation’s negative impact on youth mental health a “public nuisance” in the level of industrial pollution. Nigeria has had its can of troubles with Meta. On July 19, 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) issued a Final Order imposing a $220m administrative penalty on Meta, saying the company engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerians after a 38-month joint investigation with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC). Not satisfied with the processes leading to the fine, Meta appealed. April 25, 2025, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal delivered its judgment which affirmed that the FCCPC was painstaking in their investigations and awarded the $220m fine with an administrative penalty of $35,000.
