A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million in damages and implement sweeping changes to the safety features of Facebook and Instagram for young users, ruling that the company's platforms created a "public nuisance" that harmed children's mental health.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid issued the decision in Santa Fe on Thursday, concluding that Meta's design and operation of its social media platforms contributed to serious risks for children across the state. The ruling requires the company to strengthen protections for minors while holding it financially accountable for the harm caused.

The latest judgment comes in addition to a $375 million jury verdict delivered in March, when Meta was found to have violated New Mexico's consumer protection laws by misleading the public about the safety of Facebook and Instagram for children. Together, the two rulings raise the company's total financial liability in New Mexico to $942 million.

The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who accused Meta of prioritizing user engagement over children's safety. Following Thursday's ruling, Torrez described the decision 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," he said.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has not yet announced whether it will appeal the decision. The ruling adds to growing legal and regulatory pressure on major social media companies over concerns that their platforms contribute to mental health problems among young users and fail to provide adequate protections for children.