New Mexico court orders Meta to pay $567 million over alleged harm to young users
New Delhi, Aug 7
A court in the US state of New Mexico has ordered Meta Platforms to pay $567 million to address alleged harms caused to young people by its Facebook and Instagram platforms, according to multiple reports.
The ruling that was issued by Judge Bryan Biedscheid in the second phase of a landmark trial directed $420 million of the amount to be used for treatment services for young people.
While the reports suggest that remaining funds will be spent on awareness and prevention programmes, screening services and related costs over the next five years.
The order follows a March jury verdict that imposed $375 million in civil penalties on Meta after finding that the company knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed information related to child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
During the second phase of the case, prosecutors sought sweeping changes to Meta's platforms, including curbs on features they described as addictive, stronger age-verification measures and enhanced safeguards against child sexual exploitation through default privacy settings and increased oversight.
However, the court declined to mandate age-verification measures for children under 13, saying the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prevents Meta from requiring young children to submit personal information or be passively tracked online solely for age verification purposes.
The court also observed that imposing age-verification requirements exclusively on Meta, while other social media companies remained outside the scope of such an order, would be inequitable and unduly burdensome for the company.
Meta had not commented on the ruling at the time of publication, according to the reports.
In addition, recently Meta's AI model accessed the internet and hacked into an outside service's systems during cybersecurity testing that raised concerns about control over their technology.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a parent, I'm deeply concerned about my kids' screen time. Instagram's endless scroll is like digital junk food. Good to see courts stepping in, but why are age verification measures being blocked? We need urgent action, not just fines. 💭
$567 million is a drop in the bucket for Meta. They made billions exploiting children. The real issue is that social media is designed to be addictive, and kids are the most vulnerable. This should be a wake-up call for tech companies globally.
The issue extends beyond Meta. All social media apps are equally responsible. But it's good that the court is directing funds for treatment and prevention. In India, we need similar regulations. Our youth are equally at risk with 24x7 internet access.
While the penalty is welcomed, I think the court missed an opportunity by not implementing age verification. Without that, it's just a band-aid solution. Also, why single out Meta when TikTok and others are equally harmful? Anyway, hope this prompts changes. 🙏
The point about COPPA is interesting. Age verification collecting personal data is a paradox - you need data to protect data. This complexity needs global standards, not just court orders. Meanwhile, let's see if Meta actually uses this money wisely or just as PR boost.
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.