Meta fined $25B in New Mexico over Facebook data privacy lies

economictimes.indiatimes.com — October 22, 2026 at 01:01 PM UTC

Meta Platforms has been ordered to pay $25 billion for misleading consumers about data privacy in New Mexico, following a jury finding that the company misrepresented access to personal information. The penalty, issued on October 21, 2026, is one of the largest ever imposed on a company by a US state. The case, filed in 2021 by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, stems from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where data from up to 87 million Facebook users was collected via a third-party app. Jurors found 26 of 29 statements from Meta deceptive, covering third-party access, content moderation, and hate speech handling. Judge Mathew Francis reduced the maximum statutory penalty of over $219 billion to $25 billion, with funds directed to state schools. Meta, which rejected the claims and plans to appeal, faces separate legal defeats in New Mexico, including a $375 million fine and $567 million payment for teen safety issues.

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US court hits Meta with record €22.3 billion fine for misleading users (demorgen.be)

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Meta fined $25B in New Mexico over Facebook data privacy lies (economictimes.indiatimes.com)

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