New Mexico court orders Meta to pay $25 billion over Cambridge Analytica scandal

A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay a record $25 billion civil penalty over the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal, which exposed data of nearly 87 million Facebook users, including over 350,000 New Mexicans. The penalty stems from New Mexico's lawsuit challenging Meta's data practices, consumer representations, and handling of hate speech and misinformation. The money will not be paid directly to individual users; instead, it is expected to be allocated toward education per the state's constitution. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated the state will ensure the resources benefit its people, though Meta is expected to appeal, meaning no payments will be made until appeals are settled. Other separate settlement cases involving different companies remain ongoing.