Meta fined $25bn for ‘lies’ over user data privacy

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has been ordered to pay a record $25 billion fine for its deceptive practices concerning user data privacy. A New Mexico judge ruled that Meta had lied to the public for years about its handling of Facebook user data, extending beyond just its data practices to the core of its business.

The company's lawyer, CJ Mahoney, anticipated an appeal, predicting it would likely succeed. This fine is the largest ever imposed on Meta, following a two-week trial that found the company had intentionally misled the public regarding its data handling practices, including in relation to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. New Mexico's lawsuit alleged that Meta had misled the public about its compliance with user consent and the enforcement of its rules against hate speech.

Meta disputed these claims, asserting that its lawsuit sought to impose a tax on speech. The judge reduced the $219 billion fine, which was based on thousands of violations, to the $25 billion amount.