Meta ordered to pay $25bn in New Mexico privacy case

· Tech · United States

A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found the company deceived users about access to their data, in a case tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It is one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed on a corporation, and larger than the $18 billion settlement Meta reached with 48 other states over similar claims. Meta said the penalty amounts to "a tax on speech." The ruling adds to a series of legal cases over how the owner of Facebook and Instagram handles users' personal data.

Why it matters：The record penalty signals that US states will pursue large damages over data privacy even without comprehensive federal legislation, raising costs and legal risk for global platforms.

Key points

  • The jury found Meta misled users about who could access their data.
  • The $25bn exceeds the $18bn multistate settlement over similar claims.
  • Meta called the penalty "a tax on speech."

Sources (original reporting)

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