10 August 2026Responding to a New Mexico judge’s ruling that Meta’s platform design harmed children , Amnesty International USA’s Deputy Director of Research, Justin Mazzola, said:“This verdict is an important step towards creating safer social media for children and young people. For years, Amnesty International has warned that major social media platforms have been designed to maximize engagement and profit, while failing to adequately protect children’s rights. This decision sends a clear message that social media companies cannot continue to prioritize engagement at the expense of children’s wellbeing and rights.” BackgroundNew Mexico Judge Bryan Biedscheid on Thursday ordered Meta to pay $567 million to address harms caused to children’s mental health. Meta was also ordered to make changes to both the Instagram and Facebook platforms to make them safer for young users.