New Mexico Attorney General Ral Torrez hopes a major court ruling against Meta will lead to wider action over the risks Big Tech platforms pose to children.
A New Mexico court ordered Facebook parent Meta to pay $567 million and make major changes to protect users under 18. The decision came after jurors found that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and hid information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
The latest judgment follows an earlier $375 million penalty, bringing the total amount Meta has been ordered to pay to $942 million.
Meta Ordered to Strengthen Child Safety
Judge Bryan Biedscheid ordered Meta to make significant changes to Facebook and Instagram.
The changes include stronger age verification, fewer addictive features and better systems for handling reports of child sexual abuse.
Meta must also limit the number of hours users under 17 can spend on its platforms.
The company will have to add clear banners and information screens explaining safety tools, protection features and ways to deal with inappropriate comments.
New Mexico will also review an educational campaign linked to the court order.
AI Age Checks Face Greater Scrutiny
One major part of the ruling focuses on age verification.
Meta must improve its systems in New Mexico. The company can use artificial intelligence to estimate a user’s age by examining signals such as their friendships and the content they post or view.
Torrez said the ruling could start a wider national debate about online safety.
He argued that the changes should help make social media safer for children and families.
How Will New Mexico Use the $942 Million?
The court directed $420 million toward treatment services for young people.
The remaining money will support public awareness, prevention programs, screening services and other costs over five years.
New Mexico lawmakers will decide how to distribute the funds.
However, Meta can appeal the ruling. The company can also ask the court to delay payment while the appeal moves forward. If Meta loses the appeal, interest could increase the amount it must pay.
Meta Plans to Appeal
Meta said it will challenge the ruling.
The company defended its record on teen safety and said it works to protect users from harmful content and bad actors.
Meta also rejected claims that it misrepresented the facts surrounding its platforms.
The financial impact appeared limited at first. Meta reported about $60 billion in profit in 2025, and investors showed little concern about the combined $942 million judgments.
Meta Faces More Lawsuits
The New Mexico ruling comes as Meta faces several other legal battles over youth safety.
Later this month, Meta is scheduled to face the first four of 29 states in a federal case filed in California. Those states accuse the company of contributing to the youth mental health crisis through features designed to keep children engaged with Instagram and Facebook.
Eight other states have filed separate lawsuits in their own courts.
Meta also faces legal action alongside TikTok, Snap and YouTube. Families of four teenagers who died by suicide recently sued the companies, alleging years of harm linked to their platforms.
New Mexico Wants Older Laws Reviewed
Torrez said the case also highlights gaps in existing US laws.
New Mexico relied on a 1970 consumer protection law to pursue Meta. One part of the earlier $375 million penalty came from a formula created under that law.
Torrez argued that lawmakers wrote the legislation for a very different economy. They could not have anticipated the size of today’s technology companies or the way social media platforms operate.
He now wants lawmakers in New Mexico, Washington and Congress to consider broader legal changes.
The ruling could therefore become more than a major financial penalty for Meta. It could also fuel a wider debate over how the United States regulates Big Tech and protects children online.
