Judge orders Meta to pay $567 million over teen mental health crisis in New Mexico

A New Mexico judge, Biedscheid, has ruled that Meta's platforms constitute a public nuisance, finding that the company significantly contributed to a teen mental health crisis affecting public health and safety across the state. The ruling states that a significant number of New Mexico residents have suffered harm from Meta's products, including risks of sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes.

The judge's opinion also described cases of online predators coercing or threatening children for financial gain, often by threatening to expose nude or exploitative images of the child. Biedscheid concluded that New Mexico is currently facing a teen mental health crisis, and that Meta's platforms are a significant contributing cause.

Fund for treatment

The fund ordered by the judge totals $567 million, broken down into $420 million for treatment, $90 million for screening and assessment, $33 million for awareness and prevention campaigns, and $24 million for other related costs. Biedscheid rejected a proposal from an expert witness calling for Meta to fund entirely new community-based health centers, ruling that building new physical facilities goes beyond what is necessary to address current harm.

The judge also shortened the funding period from the 15 years the state had requested to five years, saying a longer term would be excessive. He noted that treatment is a necessary part of addressing mental health and safety harms, and that any fund must include support for appropriate clinical and behavioral health programs. Because other social media companies also share responsibility for harm to New Mexico youth, the judge factored in Meta's market share when setting the final amount, resulting in a lower figure than the state had sought.

New Mexico's attorney general, Torrez, called the ruling a landmark victory, saying the case was always about protecting children and families and ensuring a major technology company could not profit from practices that endanger young people without consequences. Meta said it plans to appeal, stating it works hard to keep people safe on its platforms and will continue defending itself against what it called claims that misrepresent the facts.