Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta faced a major setback in the United States. A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million, around ₹4,900 crore. The court found that Meta’s social media platforms negatively affected children’s mental health. It also said the company failed to provide enough protection for young users.
Court Questions Meta’s Child Protection Measures
The court said Meta created features that kept children and teenagers engaged for longer periods. According to the ruling, these features affected their mental health negatively. Furthermore, the court said Meta failed to take necessary steps against online exploitation and other risks. The company must now improve child safety systems across its platforms.
The court ordered stronger protection for teenage accounts. It also directed changes involving age verification, activity monitoring, and new child safety systems.
Penalty Money Will Support Youth Mental Health Services
According to the court order, the $567 million amount will go into a dedicated fund. The fund will support children and young people’s mental health services. Additionally, the money will support awareness programmes, treatment, and prevention efforts. The court aims to use these resources for youth-related safety initiatives.
Meta Disagrees With Court Decision
Meta disagreed with the court’s decision. The company said it already introduced several features for children’s safety. Meta announced plans to appeal the ruling. The company also stated that online child safety is not only a social media company’s responsibility.
According to Meta, families and society also share responsibility for protecting children online.
Decision Could Increase Pressure On Social Media Platforms
The ruling does not directly affect Indian Meta users because the decision came from a US court. However, it may increase pressure on other social media companies. Platforms could face similar legal challenges if they fail to create safer environments for children. Therefore, companies may focus more on child protection measures.
If Meta changes its safety rules globally, Facebook and Instagram users in India may also see new features and guidelines.
