A New Mexico state court judge on Thursday ordered Mehta to pay a $567 million fine on top of the $375 million imposed in March in a social media harm and addiction case. This brings the total fine the company must pay to $942 million.
The court also ordered Mehta to change how its platform functions in the state. The company has removed “like” counts and requires that such metrics be shown only to children under 18 with parent or guardian approval. Push notifications for minor users in the state will also be suspended from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and their use will be limited to 90 hours a month, or about three hours a day.
“A significant number of people in New Mexico are harmed by Meta’s products due to risks such as sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes,” the order states.
The judge acknowledged that Meta is not the only platform contributing to the state’s youth mental health crisis, but argued that it plays an important role. He said the company is causing a significant “public nuisance” in New Mexico that must be abated.
Mehta said he plans to appeal the ruling.
“We work hard to keep people safe on our platform and have been transparent about our challenges in identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” company spokesperson Andy Stone said in an emailed statement. “We remain confident in our track record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”
“Meth has known for years that its platform is having a negative impact on New Mexico’s children, from fueling youth mental health crises to linking children with predators, and has chosen engagement and profit over their safety,” state Attorney General Raul Torrez said in a statement.
“Today, Meta is paying the price for that choice. This ruling will hold the company accountable for the harm it has caused to children, families, and schools, and will force substantial changes to the way Meta operates in New Mexico,” he added.
The ruling comes after another loss in Los Angeles in March, where a court also ruled against a social media company for creating an addictive pattern.
Mehta faces several other lawsuits in the country. One notable case is a joint lawsuit by 33 states that was consolidated in federal court in Oakland, California. Several other states, including Tennessee, have also filed their own lawsuits against the company.
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