Meta fined in New Mexico

A court in New Mexico ruled that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is liable for misleading users about their privacy protections. The decision followed the unauthorized collection of data from millions of Facebook users by Cambridge Analytica during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Cambridge Analytica data breach

The court found that Meta had misled consumers about how their data was used when Cambridge Analytica obtained information from tens of millions of Facebook users without their consent. This data was later used for political purposes during the 2016 campaign.

Jury finds over 43 million violations

A jury in late September determined that Facebook had committed over 43 million violations of consumer protection laws related to the data breach. This was the first time a state court had taken legal action against Meta over the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Other states settle with Meta

Other states involved in the scandal reached settlements with Meta in late August for $459 million. These settlements were part of a broader agreement on the protection of minors, which New Mexico did not participate in.

New Mexico's lawsuit impact

The jurors in Santa Fe concluded that Facebook's actions affected all 2.1 million residents of New Mexico. The court had previously filed a lawsuit in 2021, accusing Facebook of misleading users about third-party access to their data.

Meta's defense and appeal

Meta defended itself by stating that Facebook did not sell data that could identify users. The company has appealed the New Mexico ruling, adding to a series of legal challenges it has faced this year. In March, a Los Angeles jury ruled that Meta and Google were responsible for the effects of a teenager’s addiction to Instagram and YouTube.

Fines continue for Meta

Meta was fined on October 21 for misleading residents of New Mexico about the use of their personal data. The fine follows a series of legal setbacks for the company, which continues to appeal these decisions.