Facebook’s parent company, social media giant Meta, has suffered a major setback in a court in New Mexico, USA. The court has ordered Meta to spend nearly $567 million on youth mental health and safety. Judge Bryan Biedscheid made clear that ensuring children’s safety in the digital world is not solely the responsibility of parents, but also of social media companies.
Of the ordered amount, $420 million must be used directly for youth mental health treatment and help services. The remaining funds are to be spent over the next 5 years on awareness programs, screening services, and prevention activities.
In the first phase of this case, the jury had already imposed a $375 million civil penalty on Meta. The jury found that Meta was aware of the negative impact its apps have on children’s mental health and had concealed facts about child abuse risks. On Facebook and Instagram, the company must now introduce special information panels and banners to regularly inform users about security features, privacy options, and how to handle objectionable comments.
The court also directed Meta to develop AI models to identify users under the age of 13. The AI will estimate a user’s age based on their friend network and the content they view. If there is suspicion that a child under 13 is using a social media account, a reporting portal must be created in collaboration with schools and child safety organizations, allowing school staff to report directly. The court also ordered that such children’s personal data be deleted immediately.
To ensure all court-mandated rules are being properly followed, Meta has been ordered to submit a progress report to the court every 6 months.