Signal New Mexico Judge Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million Over Child Safety Failures

Summary

A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta on August 7, 2026 to pay an additional $567 million for failing to protect children from harmful content and online predators on its platforms, ruling that Meta created a public nuisance. The funds go into a five-year abatement fund: about $420 million for treatment services, $90 million for screening and assessment, and $33 million for awareness and prevention. Beyond the financial penalty, the judge ordered Meta to limit push notifications and usage to 90 hours a month (about three hours a day) for users under 18, and to hide 'like' counts. This follows a March 2026 jury verdict awarding $375 million in damages, bringing Meta's combined penalties and remediation costs in New Mexico to nearly $1 billion. Meta stated it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal.