A judge in New Mexico has a new order for Meta. The company must pay $567 million. This is because Meta did not warn people about the dangers to children. Meta already had to pay $375 million before. Now, the total amount Meta must pay is $942 million. The company owns Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid said these platforms caused harm to young people. He called Meta a "public nuisance." This is a term used for problems like air pollution that hurt the public. The court wants to use $420 million of the money for health programs. These programs will help young people who had problems because of the social media apps.
The judge also made new rules for users under 18. Adults cannot message these young users. Also, the apps must not suggest accounts of children to adults. Meta must also stop children from sending or receiving nudity. The company will use a "1-strike policy" for adults who do illegal things with children. This means those adults will be removed from the platforms quickly.
There are also new limits on screen time. Users under 18 can only spend 90 hours per month on Instagram and Facebook. The judge wants to help young people have better digital habits. Meta does not agree with the judge. The company says it will appeal the decision. This $942 million fine is one of the largest ever for a social media company regarding child safety.