A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta Platforms Inc. to pay $567 million in remedies and implement strict youth protections on Instagram and Facebook, comparing the social media giant’s impact on children to “noxious pollution” emitted by industrial factories.

The ruling by First Judicial District Court Judge Bryan Biedscheid concludes the second phase of a landmark trial initiated by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez in 2023.

Torrez alleged Meta created a “breeding ground” for child exploitation and deliberately fostered youth addiction. In March, a jury found Meta liable on all counts for engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices, awarding $375 million in civil damages. Thursday’s decision officially designated Meta a “public nuisance,” pushing its total financial obligation in the state to $942 million.

In his ruling, Judge Biedscheid drew a direct line between environmental hazards and the systemic harm caused by social media.

“Just as noxious pollution produced by a factory can harm the common public right to reasonably clean air, the harmful effects of Meta’s platforms on children do not stay contained,” Biedscheid wrote, noting that the resulting mental health crises migrate into real-world institutions, burdening schools, hospitals, and law enforcement.

The court earmarked $420 million of the new financial penalty directly for community and family-based youth behavioral health services, with the remainder dedicated to mental health screenings, prevention campaigns, and referral programs.

Beyond the monetary penalties, the judge mandated sweeping operational restrictions within New Mexico. Meta must delete all accounts and personal data collected from users known to be under 13. Push notifications must be disabled for users under 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school weekdays, and from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Teen accounts must be automatically set to private. Meta must block state users from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. And Meta must submit progress reports on these changes twice annually.

The court declined to order algorithmic alterations, noting such demands would likely face constitutional challenges under the First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Meta vowed to appeal both the liability ruling and the structural injunctions.

“We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors,” Meta said in a statement, adding it remains confident in its record of protecting teens.

The decision drew immediate response from high-profile advocates, including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who called the ruling a pivotal moment for tech accountability. “This is what happens when the law finally catches up to decisions made in boardrooms that put engagement ahead of safety,” he said in a statement.

The New Mexico verdict comes amid a broader national legal reckoning for Big Tech. Meta faces incoming trials brought by dozens of state attorneys general and hundreds of school districts over youth mental health claims.