Facebook accused of deceiving users in New Mexico as trial over privacy scandal wraps up

A trial in New Mexico has concluded with Facebook accused of deceiving users regarding privacy protections on the platform. Attorneys representing New Mexico argued that the company encouraged jurors to find it liable for thousands of violations of state law. The case centers on a 2018 data breach where Facebook failed to protect users from a third-party personality quiz that harvested data from roughly 87 million profiles and sold it to Cambridge Analytica.

The quiz was used to generate targeted ads, including during the 2016 US presidential campaign. New Mexico is seeking the maximum civil penalties, up to $5,000 per violation, and an injunction to halt future breaches of user data.

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