Meta ordered to pay $567M by New Mexico court over child mental health harm
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million for its role in fueling a youth mental health crisis through addictive platform features. The court found that Meta intentionally prioritized profits over child safety, contributing to issues like depression and self-harm.
Why it matters
This ruling sets a significant legal precedent for holding major tech companies accountable for the societal impacts of their algorithmic design choices.
A New Mexico judge has ruled that Meta helped fuel the state's youth mental health crisis through the design of Facebook and Instagram, finding the company created a public nuisance and ordering it to pay $567 million for treatment and prevention programs.
The ruling, filed Thursday in Santa Fe County District Court, found Meta intentionally used features such as endless scrolling, autoplay, notifications and content recommendations to keep users, especially teenagers, on its platforms longer.
The judge said those features contributed to higher rates of depression, anxiety , self-harm, eating disorders and suicide risk among young people. The court also found the platforms contributed to child sexual exploitation and put added pressure on schools, law enforcement and New Mexico's mental health system.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez applauded the ruling, calling it a "historic moment."
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