New Mexico Court Fines Meta $567 Million for Harming Youth Mental Health

WHO:

Town & Country Magazine - Prince Harry praised the ruling, stating, “For years we’ve argued that big tech’s harm to children was a choice, not some inevitable side effect.”

ABC News - New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated that the ruling is a "historic moment" for accountability in the tech industry.

CNN - New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez sued Meta.

CNN - Judge Bryan Biedscheid presided over the case.

TechRadar - Meta is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.

WHAT:

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to implement new safety measures, including mandatory warnings on the platforms.

ABC News - The ruling requires Meta to improve its age assurance models and tools in New Mexico and proactively request proof of age for users they know or estimate to be under 13.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to implement a time limit of 90 hours per month for users under 18.

ABC News - The judge mandated that Meta must improve its age assurance models and tools in New Mexico and proactively request proof of age for users they know or estimate to be under 13.

ABC News - The ruling includes a requirement for Meta to hide "like counts" on minors' accounts by default, which can only be overridden by a parent or guardian.

ABC News - The judge's ruling did not impose restrictions on features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and algorithmic content recommendations, stating that such restrictions would harm Meta compared to its competitors.

ABC News - The judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund, which includes $33 million for prevention and awareness, $90 million for screening and assessment, $15 million for referrals and care coordination, $420 million for treatment, and $9 million for program oversight and evaluation.

ABC News - The lawsuit filed by Raúl Torrez alleged that Meta committed 75,000 violations of the state's Unfair Practices Act.

ABC News - The judge found that Meta intentionally used features such as endless scrolling, autoplay, notifications, and content recommendations to keep users, especially teenagers, on its platforms longer, contributing to higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide risk among young people.

ABC News - The court ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund, which includes $33 million for prevention and awareness, $90 million for screening and assessment, $15 million for referrals and care coordination, $420 million for treatment, and $9 million for program oversight and evaluation.

ABC News - New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated that the appeals process is expected to take months or years, but his office will "be pressing the court to order the payment of these funds as quickly as possible."

CNN - The ruling requires Meta to fund youth mental health treatment in New Mexico.

TechRadar - The judge stated that Meta's platforms are major polluters, likening them to a factory emitting noxious pollution.

Ars Technica - The judge ruled that Meta caused a "public nuisance" and must fund mental health treatment.

CNN - The ruling requires Meta to turn off push notifications from 8 am to 3 pm on weekdays during the school year and from 10 pm to 7 am on all other days for users under 18.

CNN - The judge mandated that New Mexico teen accounts must be set to private automatically.

CNN - Meta is required to prevent New Mexico users from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with AI chatbots.

CNN - Meta stated it disagrees with the latest ruling and plans to appeal, asserting, “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content.”

TechRadar - The judge described Meta's platforms as a "public nuisance" and compared them to a factory emitting "noxious pollution."

CNN - The judge noted that a request to change Meta’s algorithm design “would likely violate the First Amendment and Section 230.”

CNN - A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a child mental health fund.

CNN - Meta was found liable for willfully engaging in “unfair and deceptive” and “unconscionable” trade practices.

CNN - A jury previously ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages.

CNN - The judge mandated that Meta must delete accounts and personal information of users under 13 years of age.

CNN - Meta must turn off push notifications for users under 18 during specific hours.

CNN - New Mexico teen accounts must be set to private automatically.

CNN - Meta is required to prevent New Mexico users from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with AI chatbots.

WHERE:

CNN - The ruling was issued in New Mexico.

WHEN:

ABC News - Meta is preparing for a trial later this month in federal court in Oakland, California, regarding a multi-district lawsuit filed by 29 states in 2023.

ABC News - The lawsuit was filed in December 2023.

CNN - The jury found Meta liable in March.

CNN - The lawsuit was first filed by Raúl Torrez in 2023.

WHY:

ABC News - The ruling aims to change the narrative about accountability for large tech companies regarding youth safety.

ABC News - The ruling aims to address the societal burden and harm caused by Meta’s platforms on children, families, schools, and law enforcement.

ABC News - Raúl Torrez claimed that Meta "knew about these harms" and "weren't forthcoming about the danger."

CNN - The ruling addresses the societal burden and harm caused by Meta’s platforms on children, families, schools, and law enforcement.

CNN - The lawsuit claimed that Meta created a “breeding ground” for child predators on its platforms.

CNN - The ruling addresses concerns from parents, whistleblowers, and lawmakers regarding youth mental health.

HOW:

ABC News - The judge's ruling includes a requirement for Meta to hide "like counts" on minors' accounts by default, which can only be overridden by a parent or guardian.

ABC News - The judge ruled that Meta's conduct amounted to a public nuisance and ordered the company to reduce the harm caused by its platforms rather than shut them down.

CNN - The court found that the harmful effects of Meta’s platforms “do not stay contained by its platforms and, instead, migrate to the internet as a whole.”

CNN - The judge compared Meta's platforms to a factory emitting noxious pollution, indicating the societal harm caused by its services.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 10:21 UTC)

Prince Harry praised a recent ruling that holds big tech accountable for its impact on children, stating that it's a choice rather than an inevitable outcome. The judge has ordered Meta to implement new safety measures, including mandatory warnings on its platforms and improved age assurance models, particularly in New Mexico, where they must proactively request proof of age for users estimated to be under 13. As Meta prepares for a trial later this month in federal court in Oakland, California, the ruling also mandates that "like counts" on minors' accounts be hidden by default, with the option to override this only by a parent or guardian.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 05:37 UTC)

A judge has ordered Meta to implement a monthly time limit of 90 hours for users under 18 and to enhance its age assurance models, requiring proof of age for those estimated to be under 13. Additionally, the ruling mandates that "like counts" on minors' accounts be hidden by default, with the option to override this only by a parent or guardian, while not imposing restrictions on features like autoplay and infinite scroll. Meta is preparing for a trial later this month in federal court in Oakland, California, concerning a multi-district lawsuit filed by 29 states in 2023, with the ruling aimed at addressing the societal harm caused by its platforms on children and families.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 04:07 UTC)

In a significant ruling, a judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund following a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who described this moment as "historic" for accountability in the tech industry. The lawsuit, initiated in December 2023, alleged that Meta committed 75,000 violations of the state's Unfair Practices Act, with Torrez asserting that the company was aware of the harms its platforms caused but failed to disclose the dangers. The judge determined that Meta's actions constituted a public nuisance and mandated the company to take steps to mitigate the harm rather than shutting down its services.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 02:58 UTC)

A judge has ruled that Meta intentionally designed its platforms with features like endless scrolling and autoplay, which have contributed to increased rates of depression and anxiety among teenagers. As a result, the court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund for various initiatives, including treatment and prevention programs. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has indicated that while the appeals process may take months or even years, his office will push for the swift payment of these funds.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 22:30 UTC)

A judge has ruled that Meta must fund youth mental health treatment in New Mexico, citing the company's platforms as major polluters comparable to a factory emitting noxious pollution. The ruling highlights that Meta has created a "public nuisance" through its operations. As a result, the company is now required to take financial responsibility for addressing the mental health needs of young people in the state.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 20:39 UTC)

A recent ruling requires Meta to disable push notifications for users under 18 in New Mexico during specific hours, including weekdays from 8 am to 3 pm and overnight from 10 pm to 7 am. Additionally, the court mandated that teen accounts must automatically be set to private and that Meta must prevent these users from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with AI chatbots. This decision was made in response to concerns about the societal harm caused by Meta’s platforms, which the court found extends beyond its own services and affects the broader internet landscape.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 18:40 UTC)

Meta has announced its intention to appeal a recent ruling that labeled its platforms a "public nuisance," with a judge likening them to a factory emitting "noxious pollution." The court emphasized that the societal harm caused by Meta's platforms extends beyond their own sites, affecting children, families, schools, and law enforcement. Additionally, the judge indicated that altering Meta's algorithm design could infringe on the First Amendment and Section 230.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 16:48 UTC)

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a child mental health fund after finding the company liable for engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices. The ruling, issued by Judge Bryan Biedscheid, also mandates that Meta delete accounts and personal information of users under 13, turn off push notifications for users under 18 during specific hours, and automatically set New Mexico teen accounts to private. Additionally, Meta is required to prevent New Mexico users from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with AI chatbots, addressing serious concerns about youth mental health and safety on its platforms.