This is the first time that the European Commission has proposed to the European Parliament and the Council that the European Parliament should be consulted on a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work.

A U.S. court in New Mexico has ruled that Meta must pay more than $567 million in penalties for harming children through its social media platforms. The judgment, issued by Judge Bryan Biedscheid in Santa Fe, follows a lawsuit brought by the state’s attorney general, Raul Torrez, who accused Meta of failing to adequately protect minors from risks associated with its platforms. The ruling adds to a previous fine of $375 million imposed in March, making Meta’s total liability in New Mexico exceed $942 million. The court found that Meta had violated New Mexico’s consumer protection laws by misleading the public about the safety of its platforms for children. The judge concluded that the company’s design choices contributed to psychological harm and exposed minors to dangers such as sexual exploitation. As part of the settlement, Meta must allocate approximately $420 million of the $567 million to fund mental health treatments for affected youth, while the remaining funds will support prevention programs, screenings, and related services over the next five years. The ruling also mandates significant changes to how Meta operates its platforms for users under 18 in New Mexico. These include imposing a monthly usage cap of 90 hours on Facebook and Instagram, restricting push notifications during late-night hours and school days, and prohibiting the display of likes and other engagement metrics for minors. Additionally, Meta must implement stricter safeguards against adult-minor interactions, improve monitoring of AI-driven chatbots, and enhance procedures for reporting cases of child sexual abuse. The company is required to collaborate with educational institutions to establish a reporting system for identifying underage users and must delete all stored data on individuals under the age of 13. Federal privacy regulations prohibit Meta from collecting personal information to verify children’s ages, so the court directed the company to refine its AI-based age estimation tools to better comply with these rules. Meta has announced it will appeal the decision, stating in a statement that it “works hard to keep people safe” on its platforms and remains confident in its efforts to protect teenagers online. The company acknowledged the challenges of identifying and removing harmful content but emphasized that the current allegations misrepresent the facts. Despite the substantial financial penalty, the amount remains a relatively minor portion of Meta’s annual revenue, which is estimated at around $60 billion. Share prices dipped slightly following the announcement, though investors have largely shown indifference to the fine. The case comes amid a broader legal battle over the impact of social media on youth well-being. In March, a jury in Los Angeles ruled that Meta and YouTube had failed to properly warn users about the addictive nature of their platforms, leading to potential long-term harm. This verdict was part of a larger multi-state litigation effort involving 29 states. Separately, Meta faces ongoing lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions, each alleging similar harms to young users. The issue of regulating social media use by minors has gained global attention. Australia recently implemented a national ban on social media access for children under 16, citing concerns over mental health, cyberbullying, and reduced physical activity. Other nations, including Britain, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, and several European countries, have introduced or are considering similar restrictions. These measures reflect growing pressure on tech companies to address the negative effects of their platforms on younger users.