Meta Hit With $567M Fine for Endangering Teen Users

WHO:

BBC News - Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Techmeme - A judge in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

WHAT:

ABC News - The judge stated that the remaining funds from the $567 million will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services, and other costs over the next five years.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to build banner and informational screens on Facebook and Instagram to explain protection features and best practices, which will be subject to review by the state.

ABC News - Meta must request proof of age for Instagram and Facebook users in New Mexico it estimates to be under 13.

ABC News - If Meta determines a user to be under 13, or under 18 without a specific age estimate, it must treat the user as under 13 or under 18 until the user verifies their age.

ABC News - The court noted that federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13.

ABC News - The court ordered Meta to continue to improve its age assurance tools in New Mexico, which include using artificial intelligence to determine people’s age based on signals such as who their friends are and what types of content they post and consume.

ABC News - Meta must also attempt to develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” in the next two years.

ABC News - The company must also partner with schools or a child safety organization to create a reporting portal where school staff can flag users who may be under 13.

ABC News - The court ordered Meta to report on its progress twice a year on how it’s complying with the abatement measures.

ABC News - The judge stated that the ruling is in addition to the $375 million Meta was ordered to pay in the same lawsuit in March, bringing the total fines to $942 million.

Deadline - The judge imposed restrictions on how Meta can operate regarding children on its platforms, which may include changes to user experience for juvenile accounts.

TechCrunch - The court ordered Meta to develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” within the next two years.

ABC News - The judge stated that the remaining funds from the $567 million will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services, and other costs over the next five years.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to build banner and informational screens on Facebook and Instagram to explain protection features and best practices, which will be subject to review by the state.

ABC News - Meta must report on its progress twice a year regarding compliance with the abatement measures.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” within the next two years.

ABC News - Meta must request proof of age for Instagram and Facebook users in New Mexico it estimates to be under 13.

ABC News - If Meta determines a user to be under 13, or under 18 without a specific age estimate, it must treat the user as under 13 or under 18 until the user verifies their age.

ABC News - The court noted that federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13.

CNET - In addition to the $567 million ordered, Meta was previously ordered to pay $375 million in the same lawsuit in March.

ABC News - The judge stated that Meta must partner with schools or a child safety organization to create a reporting portal for school staff to flag users who may be under 13.

ABC News - Meta is required to delete personal information it has collected on users under 13.

ABC News - The bulk of the $567 million ordered by the court, $420 million, will be used for treatment services for young people, while the remainder will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services, and other costs over the next five years.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to build banner and informational screens on Facebook and Instagram to explain protection features and best practices, which will be subject to review by the state.

ABC News - Meta must develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” within the next two years.

ABC News - Meta is required to report on its progress twice a year regarding compliance with the abatement measures.

BBC News - A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million for harming children.

Techmeme - The judge found that Meta's platforms helped create a public nuisance harming teens.

BBC - The judge stated that the harmful effects of Meta's platforms on children create a societal burden.

WHERE:

Techmeme - Santa Fe, New Mexico.

WHY:

BBC - The judge compared the harmful effects of Meta's platforms to "noxious pollution" that affects the public right to clean air, indicating that the impact extends beyond the platforms to society as a whole.

HOW:

ABC News - Meta must improve its age assurance tools in New Mexico, including using artificial intelligence to determine users' ages based on signals such as friends and content consumption.

ABC News - Meta must improve its age assurance tools in New Mexico, including using artificial intelligence to determine users' ages based on their friends and content consumption.

Techmeme - The ruling requires Meta to make changes for the user experience of juvenile accounts.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 14:10 UTC)

A judge has mandated that Meta allocate the remaining funds from a $567 million settlement toward awareness and prevention initiatives, screening services, and other related costs over the next five years. Additionally, Meta is required to implement age verification measures for users in New Mexico, including the development of a dedicated prediction model for users under 13 and the creation of a reporting portal in partnership with schools or child safety organizations. The court also instructed Meta to enhance its age assurance tools using artificial intelligence and to report on its compliance with these measures twice a year.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 12:38 UTC)

A judge has ruled that Meta must pay an additional fine, bringing the total penalties in a lawsuit to $942 million, which includes a previous order of $375 million issued in March. Along with the financial penalties, the court has imposed restrictions on how Meta can operate its platforms concerning children, potentially altering the user experience for juvenile accounts. Furthermore, the court has mandated that Meta develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” within the next two years.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 09:49 UTC)

A judge has ordered that the remaining funds from the $567 million settlement will be allocated over the next five years for awareness, prevention, and screening services. Additionally, Meta is required to create informational banners on Facebook and Instagram to explain protection features and best practices, which will be reviewed by the state, and they must report on their compliance with these measures twice a year. The judge emphasized the harmful effects of Meta's platforms, likening them to "noxious pollution" that impacts the public's right to clean air, highlighting the broader societal implications.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 08:50 UTC)

A judge has ordered Meta to create a dedicated prediction model for users under 13 years old within the next two years. In New Mexico, Meta is required to request proof of age from Instagram and Facebook users it estimates to be under 13, and if a user is determined to be under 13 or under 18 without a specific age estimate, they must be treated as such until their age is verified. The court emphasized that federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13, prompting the company to enhance its age assurance tools using artificial intelligence to analyze factors like friends and content consumption.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 05:34 UTC)

Meta has been ordered to pay a total of $942 million in a lawsuit, with $567 million recently added to a previous $375 million ruling from March. The judge has mandated that Meta partner with schools or a child safety organization to develop a reporting portal for staff to flag users who may be under 13, and the company must also delete personal information it has collected on these younger users. Additionally, Meta is required to enhance its age assurance tools in New Mexico, utilizing artificial intelligence to assess users' ages based on their friends and the content they consume.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 03:53 UTC)

A court has ordered Meta to allocate $567 million, with $420 million designated for treatment services aimed at young people, while the remainder will support awareness, prevention, and screening services over the next five years. Additionally, the judge mandated that Meta create informational banners on Facebook and Instagram to outline protection features and best practices, which will be reviewed by the state. Furthermore, Meta is required to develop a dedicated prediction model for users under the age of thirteen within the next two years and to report on its compliance with these measures twice a year.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 00:52 UTC)

A judge in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has ordered Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, to pay $567 million for harming children. The judge found that Meta's platforms created a public nuisance that negatively impacted teens, comparing the harmful effects to "noxious pollution" that affects society's right to clean air. As part of the ruling, Meta is required to implement changes to improve the user experience for juvenile accounts.