A court in the United States has ordered Meta to pay $567 million after finding that its Facebook and Instagram platforms failed to protect children from online dangers.
The decision was delivered by a New Mexico court on Thursday, adding to an earlier $375 million penalty imposed in March in the same case. The earlier ruling found that Meta's platforms exposed young users to online predators.
The latest judgment also requires Meta to make several changes to how Facebook and Instagram operate for users under 18. The court ruled that some of the platforms' features encourage excessive use among teenagers and increase the risks they face online.
Under the order, Meta must reduce push notifications for minors and limit their use of the platforms to 90 hours each month, which is about three hours daily. The company must also stop sending certain notifications during school hours and remove visible "like" counts for young users.
The court further directed Meta to strengthen measures preventing children under the age of 13 in New Mexico from creating Facebook or Instagram accounts. The company will also be required to report to the court twice a year on its progress in following the ruling.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez described the judgment as an important step toward protecting children and supporting families. He said the case was about ensuring that large technology companies are held responsible when their products put young people at risk.
The ruling marks the first time a US court has declared a social media company a public nuisance because of the risks its platforms pose to children.
Most of the $567 million payment will be used to establish a mental health treatment fund over the next five years. The remaining money will support programmes that educate families about online dangers and help enforce the court's safety requirements.
Meta has rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal. The company said it remains confident in the safety measures it has introduced for teenagers and argued that the court's findings do not reflect the facts.
The case is one of several legal battles facing Meta across the United States. More than 30 states have filed lawsuits accusing the company of harming children's mental health through its social media platforms.
The decision comes as another major trial involving similar allegations against Meta is expected to begin in California next week.
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