A New Mexico judge fined Meta $25 billion for misleading users about data privacy and business practices over an eleven-year period.
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay a massive $25 billion penalty. The ruling follows a trial regarding how the company handles user data. Judges found that Meta lied to the public for many years.
Also, the court determined that these lies impacted the core business practices of Facebook. The judge noted that the deception spanned over a decade. It lasted from 2010 until 2021.
Next, the lawsuit focused on the Cambridge Analytica scandal. That firm accessed data from millions of users without their permission. This information played a role in the 2016 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the state accused Meta of misleading the public about hate speech. The company allegedly lied about how it enforced safety rules. A jury agreed that these actions were intentional.
After that, Meta’s legal team responded to the harsh verdict. Lawyer CJ Mahoney claimed the ruling makes business operations impossible in New Mexico. The company plans to appeal the decision immediately.
Still, the state Attorney General praised the court's final result. Raúl Torrez stated that no corporation is too powerful for the law. He believes this ruling creates much-needed accountability for tech giants.
As a result, the judge decided on a penalty equal to Meta's quarterly profits. The original calculation for the fine reached $219 billion. However, the judge reduced the final amount to $25 billion.
Finally, this case adds to Meta's growing list of legal troubles. The company recently settled other lawsuits regarding child safety issues. Meta continues to deny wrongdoing in these various legal disputes.