Tech · Meta fined $567M · Archive$567M Fine for Meta Over Child Harm, But Appeal Puts It on HoldAired August 7, 2026 at 12:24 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to0:02pay an additional $567 million into a0:05state fund designed [music] to address0:06the negative effects of social media on0:08minors. That sum comes on top of a $3750:11million fine [music] court already0:13imposed in May, bringing the company's0:14total obligation in this case to just0:16under $1 billion. The ruling follows the0:19court's finding that Meta created a0:21public nuisance and endangered children0:23online. Knowing the harmful mental0:25health effects its platforms were having0:26on young people [music] and failing to0:28take adequate action against child0:30trafficking. The May decision0:31established liability. The latest order0:33[music] piles on more penalties and0:35demands Meta redesign its platforms to0:37be less addictive and do a better job0:39screening out minors. The nearly $10:41billion in fines represents about 1 and0:43[music] 1/2 cents of every dollar of0:44Meta's projected $60 billion profit this0:47year. A sliver that raises the question0:49of whether the [music] penalty changes0:50behavior or is simply a cost of doing0:52business. The court also ordered Meta to0:54implement a long [music] list of0:56measures to make its platforms less0:58addictive and better at screening out0:59minors. Changes that would reach into1:01the core design [music] of Facebook,1:03Instagram, and the company's other1:05services. Meta confirms it is appealing1:07the decision. That appeal means every1:09dollar [music] of the penalty and every1:11mandated platform change is now1:13contested and none of [music] it takes1:15effect while the appeal is pending. The1:16outcome now rests with the appeals1:18process. The [music] court's findings of1:20harm stand, but the funding for1:21remediation and the required design1:23changes remain on hold until a higher1:25court acts.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗