A New Mexico judge ruled on August 6, 2026, that Meta must pay $567 million to a fund dedicated to youth mental health treatment and related programs due to the company’s role as a public nuisance harming children statewide [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. This latest fine is in addition to a $375 million civil penalty ordered in March, bringing Meta’s total fines in the case to $942 million [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
The judge found that Meta’s platforms significantly contributed to a youth mental health crisis in New Mexico. The ruling cited increased risks of suicide, eating disorders, and other harms linked to Meta’s products [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez sued Meta in 2023, accusing the company of failing to protect children from online dangers and engaging in deceptive practices regarding product safety [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Judge Bryan Biedscheid described Meta as a cause of a public nuisance in the state, ordering the company to take steps to abate it. He compared Meta’s platforms to a polluting factory, noting that the harm extends beyond the digital realm to families, schools, hospitals, and law enforcement [2, 5, 6]. The court mandated specific product changes for New Mexico users, including restricting access for those under 13, removing or limiting Like counts visibility for minors, curbing push notifications at night, and capping usage to roughly 90 hours monthly for underage users [1, 4, 6].
About three-quarters of the $567 million fund—$420 million—will go directly to mental health treatment. The remainder will fund awareness, prevention, screening, referral, and evaluation programs aimed at addressing youth mental health [1, 6].
Attorney General Torrez said, "This case has always been about protecting children, standing up for families, and making sure that one of the world’s largest technology companies cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence. Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online" [3].
Meta said it disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal. A company spokesperson stated, "We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content. We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts" [3].
Meta reported $60.8 billion in revenue and $15.85 billion in net income for the second quarter of 2026 [2]. The company faces continuing legal and regulatory scrutiny over its impact on youth.
Meta’s appeal timeline and further court actions are expected in the coming months.
