FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 5, 2026
Contact: Ashwin Verghese, Communications Director, [email protected], 508-263-0289
Statement on Meta Trial in New Mexico
Fairplay Policy Counsel Haley Hinkle released the following statement today:
“We know that Meta’s products are harming kids. That was proved in court in New Mexico just a few weeks ago. And while the jury in that trial took an important step toward accountability by ordering Meta to pay $375 million in damages, the only way to keep our children safe in the future is not just to punish Big Tech companies, but also to force them to change their dangerous business model.
“New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez should be commended for fighting for changes that will make Meta’s products safer for kids by design. In particular, the Attorney General’s call for Meta to remove features like endless scroll and autoplay, overnight notifications, and feeds that are personalized by a child’s user data directly addresses the harms the jury identified. Meta should have implemented these common-sense changes by itself years ago.
“Ultimately, Attorney General Torrez is seeking significant reforms because the risk Meta’s current design and business model poses to children in New Mexico and beyond is substantial.
“The US Congress has a vital role to play as well. While courageous state leaders like Attorney General Torrez have been fighting to protect kids from social media harms, Congressional leaders have been sitting idly by while the Kids Online Safety Act (S.1748) has languished in the US Senate despite overwhelming bipartisan support. KOSA would force Big Tech companies to change how they design their products so that they are no longer addicting and harming kids. Congress must pass KOSA this year.”
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About Fairplay
Fairplay is the leading nonprofit committed to helping children thrive in an increasingly commercialized, screen-obsessed culture, and the only organization dedicated to ending marketing to children. Fairplay works to enhance children’s well-being by eliminating the exploitative and harmful business practices of marketers and Big Tech. Learn more at www.fairplayforkids.org.