A court in the US state of New Mexico ordered Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million to a fund intended to combat the negative effects that its platforms may have had on children’s mental health.
The decision is part of the second stage of a process considered landmark in the United States, The Guardian reports.
In March, a jury found that Meta knowingly harmed the mental health of children and withheld information regarding the sexual exploitation of minors on its platforms. The company was then fined $375 million. The new penalty brings the total to $942 million.
According to Judge Bryan Biedscheid, most of the money, about $420 million, will go to treatment and support services for New Mexico’s youth. The rest of the funds will be used for prevention programs, information campaigns and screening services over the next five years.
The lawsuit was the first in the US where Meta was found liable for damages caused through its own platforms. The case was initiated after allegations that Facebook and Instagram facilitated the exposure of minors to dangerous content and sexual exploitation.
In the second phase of the process, the court also ordered a series of additional measures that Meta must implement. These include developing more effective tools for verifying the age of users, including through the use of artificial intelligence, as well as creating informative screens that more clearly explain the protection measures available on Facebook and Instagram.
“a victory for every parent who has worried about the effects of social media on their children
In addition, the company will be required to request proof of age for users its systems estimate to be under 13, and to work with schools or child welfare organizations to report accounts suspected of belonging to minors under that age.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez welcomed the decision, saying it represents “a victory for every parent who has worried about the effects of social media on their children and for every child who deserves to grow up in a safer online environment.”
Meta is contesting the verdict
Meta reacted with a statement sent to The Guardian publication, in which it announced that it does not agree with the verdict and that it will challenge it in court. The company says it constantly invests in safety measures and that the allegations do not reflect the reality of its efforts to protect teenagers.
According to The Guardian, the decision represents a new legal hurdle for Meta, which is facing numerous lawsuits in several US states regarding the impact of social media on children and teenagers. The New Mexico verdict could become an important precedent for other similar litigation pending in US courts.
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