"New Mexico jury finds Facebook liable for over 43 million violations of consumer protection law - and Meta could owe over $200 billion in penalties", 26 September 2026

A New Mexico jury on Friday found Facebook liable for deceiving users about privacy protections on the platform...

The jury found over 43 million violations of state consumer protection law and it is now up to the judge to determine how much the company would pay...

The two-week trial in Santa Fe centered on accusations that Facebook, owned by Meta, deceived users about a data breach stemming from a third-party personality quiz that harvested data from roughly 87 million profiles and sold it to a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, to generate targeted ads...

Jurors sided with prosecutors, finding Facebook made deceptive statements about protecting users’ data that affected New Mexico’s entire population of more than two million people. The jury also found Facebook misled the public about investigations into third-party app developers that harvest user data following the Cambridge Analytica scandal...

Facebook denied the claims, arguing the company has adapted its policies since the state’s lawsuit was filed in 2021 and that it removes 99% of content that violates standards...

“Meta’s platforms are forums for free expression. We have a First Amendment right to manage those platforms in a way we believe best serves the interests of our community...” Burgos said in a statement after the verdict...

If the state successfully persuades the judge to award the maximum civil penalties for every violation, the company could owe over $200 billion, with interest accruing if it decides to appeal. The judge will have to weigh complex arguments from both sides about what penalties are fair...