A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, to pay $567m in what the BBC described as the largest child safety ruling against the company.
Key facts
- A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567m, according to the BBC.
- The ruling relates to the way the court found the company had harmed children.
- Meta is the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.
- The BBC reported the penalty as the largest child safety ruling against the company.
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, to pay $567m in connection with how the court found the company had harmed children, according to the BBC.
The BBC described the penalty as the largest child safety ruling against the social media giant, and reported that the $567m order was an additional payment stemming from the case.
Meta operates several of the world’s most widely used platforms, including the photo-sharing app Instagram, the social network Facebook and the messaging service WhatsApp.
The ruling adds to ongoing scrutiny of how large social media companies protect younger users on their platforms.
Further details of the case, including the specific findings behind the ruling and any response from Meta, were not included in the available source material.
Why it matters
The scale of the fine signals growing legal and political pressure on major technology firms over how their platforms affect children's safety and wellbeing. Rulings of this size could influence how social media companies design and moderate their services for younger users.
Frequently asked questions
How much was Meta ordered to pay?
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567m, according to the BBC.
Which company was fined?
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, was the subject of the ruling.
What was the ruling about?
The BBC reported that the ruling concerned the way Meta has harmed children, and described it as the largest child safety ruling against the company.