Judge brands social media giant a “public nuisance” as sweeping restrictions are imposed to protect minors from harmful content and online predators.

A court in New Mexico has ordered Meta Platforms to pay an additional $567 million over allegations that its platforms failed to protect children from harmful content and online exploitation, bringing the company’s total penalty in the case to $942 million.

The ruling marks the largest financial sanction imposed on Meta over child safety concerns.

Delivering judgment, Judge Bryan Biedscheid described Meta as a “public nuisance,” comparing the company’s impact on children to industrial pollution. The court found that Meta’s recommendation algorithms repeatedly exposed minors to harmful content and contact with sexual predators, in violation of New Mexico’s consumer protection laws.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by the State of New Mexico, which accused Meta of endangering children across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.

The judge directed that the funds be used to support mental health treatment, prevention programmes, public awareness campaigns and professional training aimed at addressing the effects of online harm on children.

Beyond the financial penalty, the court imposed sweeping child protection measures. These include preventing adults from messaging minors they do not know, blocking algorithmic recommendations of underage users to adults, banning the exchange of nude images involving minors, removing public like counts for users under 18, limiting overnight push notifications, and capping social media use for minors at 90 hours per month across Facebook and Instagram.

Meta rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal, maintaining that it has invested heavily in protecting young users and removing harmful content. The company argued that the judgment misrepresents its efforts to improve online safety and combat child exploitation on its platforms.

The latest ruling adds to Meta’s growing legal challenges in the United States, where the company faces thousands of lawsuits over child safety and privacy concerns.

Another major trial involving multiple U.S. states is expected to begin next week, further intensifying scrutiny of the social media giant’s practices involving young users.