US Court Orders Meta to Pay $567 Million Over Mental Health Concerns for Children

A US court in New Mexico has made a significant ruling against social media giant Meta. Meta has been ordered to pay $567 million in damages due to its responsibility in the mental health crisis affecting children.The court's decision was based on Meta's failure to protect children and the "public nuisance" it created. The judge ruled that the company must pay a substantial amount into a fund for children's mental health.The court's ruling goes beyond just the fine. Meta is required to delete the accounts of users under 13 and all personal data collected from these accounts. Additionally, the accounts of young users in New Mexico will be set to "private" by default.Meta will also have to disable instant notifications for users under 18 during certain hours. Notifications will be turned off between 08.00-15.00 on weekdays during the school term and between 22.00-07.00 on other days.This ruling is seen as an important step in highlighting the responsibilities of social media companies. Meta has stated that it disagrees with the court's decision and will appeal it.