New Mexico State Judge Bryan Biedscheid has ordered Meta Platforms to create a special fund of 567 million dollars to address the harm caused to children by its social networks "Facebook" and "Instagram".
Modern.az reports that “The Wall Street Journal” wrote about this.
According to the information, this amount was added to the 375 million dollar fine imposed by a jury in March 2026.
Thus, the company's total financial obligation amounted to 942 million dollars. The decision was made after it was determined during the investigation that Meta had knowingly violated the state's consumer protection legislation.
The lawsuit against the company was filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. He accused Meta of allowing minors access to sexually explicit content and not adequately protecting them from dangerous individuals online. The lawsuit was based on intentionally harming children's mental health and concealing information about the risks of sexual exploitation on the company's platforms.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid stated that the widespread nature of the harm and the complex measures required to address it necessitate the creation of a special fund.
Approximately 420 million dollars of the fund will be directed towards the treatment and psychological assistance of young people. The remaining funds will be spent over the next 5 years on preventive programs, early problem detection services, and awareness-raising activities.
In addition, the court ordered Meta to:
limit the time children spend on social networks;
hide the number of “likes” under photos by defau<
inform users about potential risks.
Meta, however, announced that it would appeal the decision.
