Meta fined $567m in largest child safety ruling against social media giant

A US judge in New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay another $567 million for failing to properly warn the public about the dangers its social media platforms may pose to children. This brings the total amount of fines in the case to $942 million. The judge described Meta as a “public nuisance” because of the harm children can experience on its platforms.

The money will be placed in a fund designed to reduce and treat the harm caused by social media. About $420 million will be used for mental and behavioral health programs and professionals. Other funds will support training for teachers and health workers to help them understand and prevent social media-related harm.

The judge also ordered Meta to introduce stronger safety measures for users under 18. These include preventing adults from messaging minors, stopping adult recommendations involving underage users, and restricting the sending and receiving of nude images.

Other measures include removing “like” counts for users under 18, limiting nighttime and school-hour notifications, and introducing a monthly usage limit of 90 hours across Instagram and Facebook. Meta disagreed with the ruling and said it would appeal.

The case is part of growing global pressure on technology companies to protect children online. Meta is facing thousands of similar lawsuits in the US, while the UK and European Union are also considering stronger rules. Although the fine is large, some experts say it is relatively small compared with Meta's huge revenue.

Edited using generative AI tools. 
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7lz3wr2rlo

Comprehension

How much additional money was Meta ordered to pay?
Why did the judge describe Meta as a “public nuisance”?
How will most of the money in the new fund be used?
What restrictions were ordered for users under 18?
How did Meta respond to the ruling?

Discussion

Do you think social media companies should be responsible for children's safety? Why?
Should children under 18 have limits on how much time they spend on social media?
Do you think social media can negatively affect children's mental health? Why or why not?
Should adults be prevented from messaging minors on social media?
Are fines an effective way to make large technology companies follow safety rules?
What other rules should social media companies introduce to protect children?
Should parents or technology companies have more responsibility for children's online safety?
How can schools help children use social media safely?

Vocabulary

Fine – money that someone must pay as a punishment.
Danger – something that can cause harm.
Harm – physical or emotional damage.
Nuisance – something that causes problems or trouble.
Appeal – to ask a higher court to change a legal decision.
Prevent – to stop something from happening.
Treatment – medical or professional help for a problem.
Restrict – to limit what someone can do.