Meta ordered to pay New Mexico $25 billion over Facebook data scandal

A judge has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion to New Mexico after a jury found the company liable for deceiving users regarding its privacy policies and content moderation on Facebook. El Pais reports that the ruling finds the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp guilty of misleading users. Le Monde English notes the ruling follows a jury verdict regarding the misuse of personal data years after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described the order, which was handed down on Wednesday by Judge Francis Mathew, as one of the largest, if not the single largest, state verdicts against a company in American history. Torrez stated the judgment should serve as an unambiguous message to Silicon Valley and a warning to tech companies. According to ABC News (US), under the New Mexico Constitution, fines for consumer protection law violations are directed toward state education spending.

Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, previously stated plans to appeal a September verdict. While Torrez acknowledged the funds may be tied up during an expected appeal, ABC News (US) reported that the company's shares were trading 2% higher following the announcement.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, El Pais, The Hill, ABC News (US), Hindustan Times - World News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.