A New Mexico district court judge has issued a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in a high-profile case against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The company is being ordered to pay $567 million in damages, a figure that is expected to be one of the largest ever awarded in a social media-related lawsuit. The ruling comes after years of litigation, and it marks a significant victory for the plaintiffs, who alleged that Meta failed to take adequate measures to safeguard minors from online harm. The judge's decision is also seen as a major blow to Meta's reputation, which has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of user data and online safety issues.
The settlement will be used to create a fund to mitigate social media harms, including by carving out $420 million for treatment programs specifically for New Mexico youth who have been harmed on the platforms. This fund will provide critical support to young people who have been impacted by online bullying, harassment, and other forms of harm. The remaining $147 million will be used to address broader social media harms, such as the spread of misinformation and online hate speech.
The case, which was filed in 2018, alleged that Meta failed to adequately address the issue of online child exploitation and failed to take sufficient steps to prevent minors from being exposed to explicit content. The plaintiffs also alleged that Meta's algorithms and moderation practices were not sufficient to prevent minors from being targeted by online predators.
Meta's lawyers had argued that the company had taken steps to address the issue of online child exploitation, including the implementation of new policies and technologies to detect and prevent such content. However, the judge ultimately rejected this argument, finding that Meta had not taken sufficient measures to protect minors from online harm.