--- title: "Meta fined a record $942 million: New Mexico court orders social network to limit teens' screen time" description: "🚨 Historic court ruling: Meta fined a record $942 million for harm to teens' mental health. 📉 New Mexico court orders the social network to limit children's screen time to 90 hours a month and hide likes. 🏥 $420 million will go towards treating mental illnesses. ⚖️ Meta promises to appeal." date: 2026-08-09T12:15:03.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/meta-fined-record-942-million-for-harm-to-teens-mental-health tags: [meta, facebook, instagram, social-media-regulation, child-safety, new-mexico, tech-law] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Meta fined a record $942 million: New Mexico court orders social network to limit teens' screen time ![Meta, Facebook, and Instagram logos on a blue gradient background — visual representation of the record $942M fine for violating teen rights](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/09/meta-oshtrofovana-na-942-mln-za-vred-psikhike-podrostkov/meta-oshtrofovana-na-942-mln-za-vred-psikhike-podrostkov-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Meta is required to pay $567 million on top of the previous $375 million for harm to teens' mental health. - A limit of 90 hours per month is introduced for users under 18 in New Mexico. - $420 million of the fine will go towards treating mental illnesses. - Meta intends to appeal and rejects the accusations. August 9, 2026. A landmark event has occurred in the history of digital platform regulation in the US, which could set a precedent for the global industry. Judge Brian Bitshied issued a verdict obliging the tech giant Meta to pay a record sum of $567 million as additional compensation. This decision, made in the context of a case initiated by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torres, marks the culmination of a years-long investigation into the harm social networks cause to the mental health of minors. ### The history of the record fine and the total sum The total financial obligation of Meta to the state of New Mexico has reached nearly one billion dollars — $942 million. The current fine of $567 million is a continuation of an agreement reached with a jury back in March 2026, when the company was ordered to pay $375 million. During the proceedings, state authorities concluded that Meta intentionally harmed the mental health of young users and concealed the fact that its platforms (Facebook and Instagram) were used for the sexual exploitation of children. The court ruled that the company was aware of the risks but failed to take sufficient measures to prevent them. ### Allocation of funds: treatment and prevention The court's decision provides for a clear distribution of the fine. Of the total $567 million awarded in the second phase, approximately $420 million will be directed directly to providing mental health treatment services for teenagers in New Mexico. The remaining funds will be allocated to preventive measures, awareness raising, screening, education, and monitoring over the next five years. Attorney General Raúl Torres called this decision a "victory for all parents who were concerned about the impact of social media on their children". ### Strict restrictions for users under 18 The financial fine is not the only consequence for Meta. The company is required to implement radical changes to the operation of its applications within the state. Specifically, Meta must strengthen the user age verification process. A strict time limit is introduced: users under 18 will be allowed to spend no more than 90 hours a month on Facebook and Instagram in New Mexico. Furthermore, the company is required to disable most notifications for minors during nighttime and school hours, and to hide the number of likes on posts by default unless parental or guardian consent is obtained. ### Meta's reaction and appeal prospects On the same day, Meta announced its intention to appeal, rejecting the state's accusations. Corporate representatives stated: "We remain confident in our ability to protect youth online and will continue to defend ourselves against charges of misinformation." Meta insists that their algorithms are aimed at safety and considers the blame for causing mental health harm to be exaggerated; however, the New Mexico court did not accept these arguments, pointing to systemic flaws in the platforms' architecture. ### Contradictory data There are discrepancies in the interpretation of the total fine amount across various sources. While some news agencies (such as Forbes and MSN) operate with figures of "nearly $1 billion" or "$942 million" in headlines, combining the current fine with the previous March agreement, other sources focus solely on Judge Bitshied's new ruling of $567 million. Additionally, Meta emphasizes in its statements that the $942 million figure is not a "fine" in the classical sense, but rather "compensation" and "services," whereas the New Mexico prosecution insists that this is a severe punishment for violating child protection laws. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Meta fined $567 million in landmark ruling that will see teen accounts restricted0 0](https://www.neowin.net/news/meta-fined-567-million-in-landmark-ruling-that-will-see-teen-accounts-restricted/) - Подтверждает сумму штрафа и ограничения по времени. - [Meta fined $567m in largest child safety ruling against social media giant](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7lz3wr2rlo) - Подтверждено по источнику bbc.com - [New Mexico Court Orders Meta To Pay Nearly $1 Billion In Landmark Child Safety Case](https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2026/08/07/new-mexico-court-orders-meta-to-pay-nearly-1-billion-over-child-safety-issues/) - Подтверждает общую сумму в 942 млн долларов. - [Meta Ordered to Pay $942 Million to Address Harm to Kids From Social Media](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/meta-ordered-to-pay-942-million-to-address-harm-to-kids-from-social-media/ar-AA29yysz) - Подтверждает детали назначения средств. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How much does Meta have to pay in total? **A:** The total obligation amounts to $942 million ($375 million from the March ruling + $567 million from the August 2026 ruling). ### Q: What restrictions have been introduced for teenagers? **A:** In New Mexico, users under 18 are limited to 90 hours of use per month, notifications are disabled at night and during school hours, and likes are hidden by default. ### Q: Where will the fine money go? **A:** $420 million will go towards treating mental illnesses in teenagers, the rest — towards prevention and monitoring.