Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion in New Mexico Privacy Case
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to pay $25 billion after a jury found millions of violations of state consumer protection laws. The landmark ruling, linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, raises fresh questions about Facebook's handling of personal data.
Meta $25 billion New Mexico ruling
On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, District Judge Francis Mathew ordered Meta Platforms to pay $25 billion in civil penalties. The decision followed a September jury verdict finding 43,899,725 violations of New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez welcomed the judgment, arguing that powerful technology companies must face consequences for misleading consumers. The court determined that Facebook's repeated statements about its business practices warranted substantial penalties.
Cambridge Analytica Facebook data scandal
The lawsuit grew out of the Cambridge Analytica controversy, which exposed how a political consulting firm obtained personal information from millions of Facebook users through a third-party application.
The firm used Facebook data for political consulting activities connected to the 2016 US presidential election. New Mexico alleged that Facebook misrepresented how personal information was collected, shared and protected, raising concerns about consumer consent and transparency.
Facebook privacy law violations
The jury examined Facebook's statements about user privacy, third-party access and the company's handling of misinformation and hate speech.
Jurors determined that 26 of 29 statements examined during the trial were misleading. The findings covered repeated conduct affecting New Mexico consumers over several years. The case highlights the legal responsibilities of technology companies when explaining their privacy policies and platform practices.
Meta financial penalty and legal consequences
New Mexico law permits civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Based on the jury's findings, the potential penalty approached $219.5 billion, but Judge Mathew reduced the award to $25 billion.
The judgment also provides for annual interest of 15% until payment. Separately, Meta has faced regulatory action involving data privacy and child safety, including a $942 million New Mexico judgment in August 2026.
Meta appeal against New Mexico verdict
Meta disputes the findings and intends to appeal. Chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney argued that the judgment would make conducting business in New Mexico extremely difficult and challenged the legal basis for the penalty.
The appeal could delay collection and lead to further review of the judgment. For now, the decision represents a major test of how state consumer protection laws can hold large social media companies accountable for statements made to users about privacy and data security.
