Meta child safety measures face a major test after a New Mexico judge ordered the company to pay $567 million and strengthen protections for minors on Facebook and Instagram.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid of the New Mexico state court ruled that Meta created a public nuisance by failing to adequately protect children from risks linked to its platforms.

The case followed allegations by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. He accused Meta of designing features that encouraged addictive use among teenagers.

He also alleged that the platforms exposed minors to harmful content.

Court Orders New Safety Measures

The five-year court order requires Meta to introduce several measures to protect young users.

The company must limit some teenage usage and reduce notifications. It must also tighten controls on interactions between adults and minors.

The order includes stronger safeguards for Meta’s artificial intelligence chatbots. It also requires better handling of reports involving child sexual abuse.

The court further ordered Meta to prevent minors in New Mexico from engaging in sexualised interactions with its AI chatbots.

Adults will also face restrictions on using such tools for inappropriate conversations involving children.

However, Judge Biedscheid rejected some measures requested by the state.

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These included changes to Meta’s algorithms and features such as infinite scroll and autoplay. The judge cited constitutional protections and federal law in rejecting those demands.

Meta Plans to Appeal

The ruling follows an earlier jury decision in the same case.

That decision ordered Meta to pay $375 million. The jury found that the company violated consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the safety of Facebook and Instagram for young users.

Meta rejected the latest findings and said it would appeal.

The company said it has already taken major steps to improve online safety and remove harmful content.

“We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts,” Meta said.

Torrez welcomed the ruling and said it sends a strong warning to technology companies.

He argued that child safety should come before corporate profits.

“This is not just a judgment against one company. It is a blueprint,” Torrez said.

He added that other states and countries could use the ruling when developing policies to protect children online.

Wider US Legal Pressure

The case forms part of a growing legal battle over social media and young users in the United States.

More than 40 states and over 1,300 school districts have pursued lawsuits against social media companies.

Many of these cases focus on alleged harm to children’s mental health and online safety.

Judge Biedscheid said harmful online experiences can affect more than individual users.

He noted that the impact can reach families, schools and wider communities.

Meta also faces a separate lawsuit involving several US states. Those states accuse the company of designing Facebook and Instagram features to increase dependence among young users.

The company has warned investors that rising legal and regulatory pressure could affect its operations and financial performance.

The New Mexico ruling could therefore have wider consequences for the technology industry.

It may influence how courts and regulators approach child protection on social media.