Meta ordered to pay $567 million in US over ‘public nuisance’ child harm

SAN FRANCISCO: A US state court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million and limit some features for children on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, saying the social media giant had created a “public nuisance” that endangered young users.

The ruling in New Mexico on Thursday adds to a previous fine of $375 million in the same case in March, when a jury found the social media giant liable for making youths vulnerable to predators on its platforms.

While Meta said it would appeal, the decision sets a precedent at a time when dozens of other US states are pursuing lawsuits alleging harms to children and their mental health, including a major trial against Meta set to open in California next week.