A New Mexico judge has ruled that Meta substantially contributed to a public nuisance by worsening a youth mental health crisis, and ordered it to fund $567 million in treatment and prevention measures. The ruling follows a separate jury award of $375 million in civil penalties, making this a significant legal setback for Meta and a notable attempt to hold a social-media company financially responsible for alleged public-health harms.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid said Meta’s engagement-focused platform features had contributed to harms including adverse mental health outcomes, disrupted education and child sexual exploitation. The new fund includes $420 million for treatment, $90 million for screening and assessment, $33 million for awareness and prevention, and $24 million for other costs over five years; the judge reduced the requested duration and amount because other platforms also share responsibility.