Meta fined $567 million over child safety failures

A U.S. judge has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million over claims that its platforms failed to protect children from online harm.

The ruling in New Mexico brings the total penalties against the company in the case to $942 million. Judge Bryan Biedscheid said Meta’s platforms created widespread harm and ordered the money to be used for measures aimed at reducing risks to children.

The case was brought by the state of New Mexico, which accused Meta of failing to prevent children from being exposed to harmful content and contact with online predators on platforms including Instagram and Facebook.

The judge said Meta’s recommendation systems contributed to directing young users toward harmful material and described the impact as a public safety issue.

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Meta says it will appeal

Meta rejected the ruling and said it would appeal the decision.

The company said it works to protect users, remove harmful content and improve safety measures, adding that it disagrees with claims that misrepresent its efforts.

The latest ruling follows a previous $375 million penalty in the same case. Meta is also facing thousands of similar lawsuits in the United States over child safety concerns.

As part of the ruling, Meta was ordered to introduce additional measures, including preventing adult users from being recommended to underage accounts and restricting direct messages between adults and minors.

The company was also ordered to limit certain features for users under 18, including notifications and engagement tools.

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The ruling comes as U.S. authorities continue broader scrutiny of social media platforms over their impact on children’s safety and privacy.

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