Meta fined $567 million by New Mexico judge, ordered child safety measures

On Thursday, New Mexico District Judge Bryan Biedscheid issued a landmark ruling against Meta Platforms Inc., fining the company $567 million in addition to the $375 million civil penalties previously imposed. The judge likened the company’s social‑media platforms to factories that pollute children’s mental health and ordered a series of protective steps for users under 18 in the state.

The order requires Meta to limit under‑18 users to 90 hours of use per month, restrict AI‑driven chatbots for minors, display mandatory safety warnings, and strengthen age‑verification systems, including requesting proof of age for users estimated to be under 13. Federal law (COPPA) limits how such verification can be applied. Meta said it will appeal and reiterated confidence in its teen‑protection record, stating, “We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.” Legal scholars note that “age verification can be done well in a privacy‑protective way, but it is not easy,” highlighting implementation challenges. The ruling is viewed as a possible template for similar lawsuits nationwide.