Meta Hit with Record $25 Billion Fine Over Data Privacy Misleading Statements

Tech giant Meta has been dealt the largest financial penalty in its history. A judge in New Mexico ordered the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to pay a staggering $25 billion following a high-stakes trial regarding user data privacy.

The landmark ruling follows a two-week trial concluding that Meta spent years misleading the public about how it managed and protected Facebook user data. The lawsuit originated from the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal, which utilized data from millions of users for political consulting during the 2016 US presidential election.

State lawyers argued that Meta executives repeatedly claimed user data was never shared without permission, when it actually was. A jury ultimately found that Meta had violated state laws more than 40 million times, impacting roughly two million residents in New Mexico alone. Judge Francis Mathew noted that the company’s misrepresentations were willful and spanned over a decade.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez praised the decision, emphasizing that powerful technology companies are not above the law. Meanwhile, Meta’s head lawyer, CJ Mahoney, criticized the ruling, stating it makes doing business in the state nearly impossible, and confirmed the company plans to appeal the decision.

Read the full report on Nile Post.