August 7, 2026, 2:07 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Meta must pay more than half a billion dollars into a relief fund for affected children following a ruling in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Additionally, the company is required to significantly tighten youth protection on Facebook and Instagram.
Millions for Relief Fund After Ruling
Meta is once again under pressure in the U.S. over its handling of young users. A court in New Mexico has ruled that the Facebook company must pay an additional $567 million into a fund, on top of an already imposed fine. The money is intended to benefit children and teenagers who, according to the court, have been harmed by the use of social media.
The case was triggered by a lawsuit from the New Mexico attorney general, who accused Meta of failing to adequately protect minors from sexual exploitation and other risks on the platforms. In March, a jury had already found that the company violated the state’s consumer protection laws. A large portion of the awarded sum–$420 million–is earmarked for therapy and support services. Meta announced plans to appeal the ruling.
Court Fines Meta Heavily for Violating Youth Protection Laws
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Stricter Rules for Teenagers
In addition to the hefty payment, Meta must also implement new protective measures for users under 18 in New Mexico. In the future, teenagers will only be allowed to use Facebook and Instagram for up to 90 hours per week. Furthermore, push notifications are to be generally disabled at night between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
On school days, minors are also not to receive notifications between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Additionally, the display of “like” counts will be removed for them. These measures aim to prevent teenagers from spending extended periods on the platforms or being encouraged to continue using them through constant notifications.
Also of interest: Meta now admits to an AI hack
Meta Faces Increasing Pressure in the U.S.
This case is not an isolated incident. Meta is facing numerous lawsuits in the U.S. that accuse the company of failing to adequately protect children and teenagers from the negative effects of social networks. These include risks of addiction, psychological stress, and insufficient safety mechanisms.
In March, Meta and YouTube suffered another legal defeat. In a high-profile case, a jury concluded that both platforms had failed to adequately inform users about risks and had acted negligently. The companies also plan to appeal this ruling. If the courts continue this trend, other states may impose similar requirements on social networks.