A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion for deceptive data privacy practices, marking one of the largest penalties in US legal history. The ruling stems from a jury’s finding that Meta violated the state’s consumer protection laws over 43 million times. The case centers on Meta’s alleged misleading statements about user data privacy and content moderation policies.
The fine was issued by Judge Francis Mathew following a trial in Santa Fe. The jury determined that Meta had deceived users about how their data was collected and used, particularly in connection with the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The company was accused of allowing third-party apps to harvest personal information from millions of users without proper consent.
This penalty comes after a series of legal challenges against Meta, including a 2021 lawsuit filed by New Mexico’s attorney general. The state argued that Meta’s actions had harmed consumers and undermined trust in digital platforms. The $25 billion fine is among the largest ever imposed on a tech company, reflecting the severity of the alleged violations.
The case highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of tech giants over data privacy and transparency. It also underscores the ongoing legal battles between social media companies and governments seeking to hold them accountable for user data misuse. The ruling may set a precedent for future cases involving data protection and consumer rights.
