Meta’s $25 Billion Fine Unlikely to Alter Its Privacy Practices

A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion for misleading users about data privacy, one of the largest corporate penalties ever against a tech firm. The ruling stems from a jury finding nearly 44 million violations of state law. The case dates back to Cambridge Analytica’s misuse of Facebook data during the 2016 election. Meta had sought to cap penalties at $3.45 billion, and estimates suggested it could have faced $219 billion. The money will go to New Mexico’s public school fund. Meta has paid billions in other settlements, including $725 million to users and up to $18 billion over child safety. Experts say the ruling likely won’t change Meta’s newer AI or hardware ventures, as court orders rarely dictate product design.