Meta paid billions, but largely escaped accountability for Cambridge Analytica. Here’s why

A New Mexico judge recently ordered Meta to pay a staggering $25 billion fine for deceptive practices surrounding data privacy. The case centered around how Cambridge Analytica, a firm that aided Trump's campaign, improperly used Facebook user data without consent to create profiles for voter targeting during the 2016 election. However, the $25 billion fine was not directly tied to the harm caused by the data exploitation; it was instead based on Facebook's misleading statements to users regarding data privacy and its response to Cambridge Analytica.

As a political communication scholar, my research contributed to exposing the Cambridge Analytica scandal through evidence submitted to investigations. My takeaway is that while Facebook has faced penalties for misleading users and regulators about its data practices and its response, it has largely avoided accountability for the underlying political exploitation of the data.

One potential reason for this may be that earlier investigations failed to thoroughly examine the data misuse, as the Senate Intelligence Committee did not fully obtain important communications from Cambridge Analytica or its parent company SCL Group.

Furthermore, Meta is attempting to close the door on further claims before they are litigated. In August 2026, Meta reached a settlement with state attorneys general for roughly $17 billion, agreeing to release the company from any and all claims related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. This settlement encompassed claims that had not yet been discovered, effectively brushing under the rug the harms caused by the data exploitation.

Despite this, advocates continue to push for comprehensive U.S. privacy legislation to hold companies accountable for such abuses.