NEW MEXICO – A US court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million in additional penalties over allegations that its social media platforms harmed children’s mental health and exposed young users to safety risks.
The ruling came during the second phase of a landmark case against the technology giant in New Mexico.
In March 2026, a jury found Meta liable after determining that the company knowingly contributed to harm to children’s mental health and concealed information related to child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The company was ordered to pay $375 million at the time.
With the latest ruling, the total financial penalties against Meta in the case have risen to approximately $942 million.
Judge Brian Biedscheid said around $420 million of the latest penalty would be allocated to services providing medical treatment and support to young people in New Mexico.
The remaining funds will be spent over the next five years on public awareness initiatives, screening services and other measures aimed at protecting children.
The second phase of the trial began in May, with prosecutors seeking sweeping changes to Meta’s operations. They called for stronger controls over features that could encourage addictive use of social media, improved age-verification systems and enhanced measures to prevent child sexual exploitation.
The court also ordered additional safeguards for Facebook and Instagram, including banners and informational screens explaining available safety features and tools to users.
Meta was further directed to support an educational campaign in New Mexico aimed at raising awareness about online safety and the potential risks faced by young users.
The company has rejected the ruling.
A Meta spokesperson said the company disagreed with the court’s decision and planned to appeal.
The spokesperson said Meta was working to protect people on its platforms by removing malicious actors and harmful content and strengthening its safety measures.
