Meta has been ordered to pay a ₹500 crore fine by a New Mexico court over allegations that its social media platforms were designed in ways that encouraged children and teenagers to remain engaged for longer periods. The ruling adds to growing scrutiny of how major social media companies design their platforms for younger users, particularly around features that can encourage prolonged use and influence their online behaviour.
The case also follows an earlier ₹3,570 crore fine imposed on Meta in March, reportedly related to the company’s handling of children’s privacy in the same broader legal dispute.
The Business of Keeping Users Engaged
At the centre of the case is the argument that social media platforms use design features and recommendation systems that encourage young users to spend more time online.
Internal company documents cited in the case reportedly raised concerns about the way Meta's photo- and video-led platforms could encourage prolonged engagement among children and adolescents. The longer users remain on these platforms, the more opportunities there are to monetise their attention through advertising.
The concerns extend beyond screen time. Mental health professionals have increasingly examined the relationship between excessive social media use, disrupted sleep, emotional well-being, and difficulties with concentration.
Dr Vishal Aggarwal, Chief Health Officer of the American Psychiatric Association, has compared some of the risks associated with excessive social media use with patterns seen in addictive behaviours. Frequent late-night usage, for instance, can interfere with sleep, potentially affecting learning, memory, and cognitive performance.
Mental health researcher Jonathan Haidt has also linked the period following the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media around 2010 with a broader decline in the mental well-being of children and teenagers.
Concerns Beyond Mental Health
The debate is also moving into classrooms and academic performance.
Research from University College London (UCL) has indicated that children who reported heavy social media use around the ages of 11 and 12 showed weaker performance in reading and mathematics compared with their peers. Researchers have cautioned that this does not mean social media directly makes every child less capable, but excessive use can be associated with factors such as lower self-esteem, reduced confidence, and changes in behaviour.
The New Mexico court's characterisation of social media addiction as resembling a "public nuisance" reflects the growing seriousness with which regulators and courts are viewing the effects of digital platforms on young users.
For Meta and the wider social media industry, the case highlights a larger challenge: balancing the commercial value of user engagement with the responsibility to protect children from potentially harmful patterns of online use. As governments, parents, researchers, and courts continue to question how social platforms are designed, the focus is increasingly shifting from what children see online to how platforms are designed to keep them coming back.