Meta fined $567m in largest child safety ruling against social media giant
A New Mexico judge ordered the Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp parent company to pay another $567m for the way it has harmed children.
A US judge in New Mexico has imposed a $567 million fine on Meta, the social media giant, for its role in endangering children on its platforms. This marks the largest ruling against Meta over child safety issues, bringing the total fines the company has faced to $942 million. Judge Bryan Biedscheid described Meta as a "public nuisance" akin to air pollution and ordered the creation of a fund to address the harms caused by its platforms.
The judge likened Meta's advertising and content to a factory's product and the resultant psychological harm and sexual exploitation of children to environmental pollution. Meta, which owns platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads, plans to appeal the ruling, insisting it has a strong record of protecting teens online. The judge's decision also makes Meta the first social media company to be deemed a public nuisance.
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