Business · Companies · 58 mins ago
New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $25 billion in privacy case
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in a data privacy case.
A jury in Santa Fe found the company liable for misleading state residents about how it collects and protects user data.
The case grew out of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the political consulting firm improperly accessed information from 87 million Facebook users.
The jury found more than 43 million violations of New Mexico’s unfair practices law, and the judge set the final penalty.
The judge said the company’s response after the scandal was willfully ineffective, citing repeated misstatements and failures in its investigation.
The order says 15% annual interest will accrue until the penalty is paid.
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in penalties in a case over misleading statements about Facebook user data.
A jury found that 26 of 29 statements by the company and its leadership were misleading and that Meta committed more than 43 million violations of state consumer protection laws.
The case followed revelations that Cambridge Analytica had obtained data from millions of Facebook users without their consent.
Judge Francis Mathew said the penalty warranted under state law exceeded $219 billion, but reduced it to $25 billion.
Meta had urged the judge to cap the penalties at $3.45 billion, arguing that a higher amount could deter businesses from operating in New Mexico.
- Who
- Meta Platforms was ordered to pay the penalty by New Mexico judge Francis Mathew.
- What
- The judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in a consumer protection case over statements about user data and company policies.
- When
- Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
- Where
- New Mexico; the jury heard the case in Santa Fe.
- Why
- A jury found that Meta misled consumers about its handling and safeguarding of Facebook user data, including after the Cambridge Analytica revelations.
New Mexico
Meta
Misleading consumers
New Mexico
The state said Meta lied to users about who could access their data and how the company handled it.
Meta
Meta argued that New Mexico had not proved any consumer was actually misled.
Penalty
New Mexico
New Mexico’s lawyer asked for $35 billion to $40 billion.
Meta
Meta urged the judge to cap penalties at $3.45 billion, warning that a higher amount could scare businesses out of the state.
User data
New Mexico
The state said third parties had broad access to personal data and accused Meta of tolerating harmful content when it benefited the company.
Meta
Meta said in court filings that it does not sell user data.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal drew attention to allegations that the firm improperly accessed data from 87 million Facebook users.
New Mexico Attorney-General Hector Balderas filed the state’s lawsuit against Meta.
A jury found that 26 of 29 statements by Meta and its leadership were misleading and that the company committed more than 43 million violations.
New Mexico’s lawyer asked the judge to award the state between $35 billion and $40 billion.
Judge Francis Mathew ordered Meta to pay $25 billion.
- Penalty
- $25 billion
- Judge
- Francis Mathew
- Jury findings
- More than 43 million violations of New Mexico consumer protection laws
- Misleading statements
- 26 of 29 statements by Meta and its leadership
- State lawsuit filed
- 2021
- Cambridge Analytica data figure
- As many as 87 million Facebook users
6 sources
Meta ordered to pay $25 billion to New Mexico in data privacy ruling
Gericht verurteilt Meta in New Mexico zu Milliardenstrafe
Meta fined $25bn for 'lies' over user data privacy
Meta hit with $25-billion penalty for misleading consumers in New Mexico over Cambridge Analytica case
Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion for Deceiving Users on Privacy
Meta ordered to pay $25 billion penalty in New Mexico Cambridge Analytica case
What people are saying
Facebook’s wrongdoing – over the course of years and systematically broadcast to the public – goes to the heart of Facebook’s core business practices.
Facebook did not conduct the comprehensive investigation that it promised
The lies extend beyond Facebook's data practices as well
This court should speak to Meta in the only language it understands, which is money, and the value of its stock price.