新墨西哥州法官Bryan Biedscheid于8月7日在圣菲宣布裁决，责令Meta向该州支付5.67亿美元赔偿金，用于弥补该公司旗下Facebook和Instagram平台对儿童心理健康造成的伤害[1]。这笔罚款分五年支付，其中约4.25亿美元将专项用于青少年心理健康治疗[1]。加上3月份陪审团判罚的3.75亿美元，Meta在新墨西哥州面临的总赔偿责任已达9.42亿美元[1]。
法院同时下令Meta改革其平台运营方式，包括限制青少年使用时长、加强成人与未成年人接触的防护措施以及改进儿童性虐待举报处理程序[1]。新墨西哥州检察长Raul Torrez自2023年起诉Meta以来，在这一系列诉讼中取得重大胜果，他表示"今天的裁决对每一位担忧社交媒体影响孩子的家长，以及每一个应该在更安全的网络环境中成长的孩子而言，都是一场胜利"[1]。尽管如此，考虑到Meta年度利润约60亿美元，这笔罚款所占比例仍然较小，Meta股价在盘后交易中下跌不足0.5%[1]。
A judge in New Mexico ruled on August 7 that Meta must pay the state $567 million in damages for harm caused by Facebook and Instagram to children's mental health.[1] Judge Bryan Biedscheid issued the decision in Santa Fe, ordering the payment to be distributed over five years.[1] Approximately $425 million of the $567 million award—roughly three-quarters of the total—will be directed toward adolescent mental health treatment programs.[1]
This judgment follows a separate jury verdict handed down in March that imposed an additional $375 million penalty against Meta, bringing the company's total liability in New Mexico to $942 million.[1] State Attorney General Raul Torrez, who filed the lawsuit against Meta in 2023, stated: "Today's decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online."[1]
Beyond the financial penalties, the court has mandated operational reforms to how Meta manages its platforms.[1] The company must implement measures to limit screen time for adolescent users, strengthen protections against adult-child contact, and improve its handling of child sexual abuse reports.[1] Despite the substantial award, Meta's annual profits of approximately $60 billion mean the fine represents only a small fraction of company earnings, and the company's stock price declined less than 0.5% in after-hours trading.[1]