New Mexico jury finds Facebook liable of deceiving users about privacy protections

A New Mexico jury has ruled in favor of Facebook, finding the social media giant liable for deceiving users about privacy protections on the platform. The two-week trial in Santa Fe focused on allegations that Facebook misled users about a data breach resulting from a third-party personality quiz that collected data from approximately 87 million profiles and sold it to political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica for targeted advertising.

The clients of Cambridge Analytica included the 2016 campaign for Donald Trump. Jurors concluded that Facebook's failure to safeguard users' data affected the entire population of New Mexico, which comprises over 2 million people.

The New Mexico Attorney General's office will release a statement following the verdict, which is set to take place at 2 p.m. local time on Friday. Jurors also determined that Facebook deceived the public concerning investigations into data brokers following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, leading to over 2 million violations. During closing arguments, Facebook's legal team argued that the state's evidence was outdated and claimed that, despite having five years to gather information, New Mexico could only find one additional instance of a data breach.

A representative from Meta told CBS News that the company disagrees with the jury's decision and will proceed to defend itself against any attempts to misrepresent the facts. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of free speech and user information protection in Meta's approach to managing the platform. The company stated that it believes in prioritizing free speech, safeguarding user data, and giving users control over their information.

In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a multistate lawsuit related to child safety concerns. However, a clause in the 130-page settlement agreement buried within the document states that Meta will be released from any future liability concerning the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach. Consequently, New Mexico became the sole state pursuing a case in this matter.

Florida was the only other state that did not sign the settlement, deeming it insufficient in addressing Meta's actions. Earlier this year, New Mexico obtained a total of $942 million from Meta in a two-phase trial regarding the company's safety measures for minors. Furthermore, a court order was issued requiring Meta to implement new safeguards, including age-verification technology and limiting the duration of its platforms.