Meta Platforms Inc. has been ordered by a New Mexico state court to pay $567 million and implement sweeping changes to child safety measures on Facebook and Instagram, marking one of the most significant legal rulings against a social media company over the protection of young users.

The decision, delivered on Thursday by Judge Bryan Biedscheid, follows a jury verdict in March that found Meta liable for creating a “public nuisance” by exposing children and teenagers to online risks, including sexual predators and harmful platform features.

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The latest judgment adds $567 million in penalties to an earlier $375 million award issued in the same case, further increasing the financial consequences for the technology giant.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, whose office brought the case, described the ruling as a landmark victory for families.

“Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online,” Torrez said.

“This case has always been about protecting children, standing up for families, and making sure that one of the world’s largest technology companies cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence.”

The court ruled that Meta must introduce several new safeguards for users under the age of 18 in New Mexico. These include limiting push notifications, capping usage at 90 hours per month, disabling certain notifications during school hours and hiding public “like” counts for younger users.

Judge Biedscheid also ordered Meta to strengthen efforts to prevent children under the age of 13 from creating Facebook or Instagram accounts and directed the company to submit compliance reports to the court twice each year.

Approximately 75 per cent of the $567 million penalty will be paid into a mental health treatment fund over five years, while the remaining funds will support programmes focused on child safety awareness, prevention initiatives and implementation of the court’s mandated reforms.

Meta said it intends to challenge the ruling.

“We disagree with the ruling and will appeal,” the company said in a statement, adding that it remained “confident in our record of protecting teens online” and would continue to defend itself against what it described as claims that misrepresented the facts.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Meta was aware of internal research highlighting the risks its platforms posed to children but failed to take adequate action.

They also alleged that the company’s recommendation systems directed adults towards content posted by teenagers, increasing potential safety risks.

The case represents the first time a US court has held a social media company liable for creating a public nuisance in relation to child safety, potentially setting an influential legal precedent.

The ruling comes as Meta faces mounting legal pressure across the United States.

More than 30 states have filed similar lawsuits alleging that the company’s platforms contribute to harm among children and teenagers, while another major trial is scheduled to begin in California next week.

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The latest judgment adds to a series of recent legal setbacks for major technology companies over concerns surrounding social media’s impact on young users’ mental health, privacy and online safety, issues that continue to attract growing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers and parents worldwide.