Meta faces $25 billion penalty in New Mexico Cambridge Analytica ruling

A court has mandated that Meta Platforms Inc. pay $25 billion to the state of New Mexico in connection with the Cambridge Analytica data breach case. The ruling represents one of the largest penalties imposed on the technology company for its role in the widespread misuse of user information that came to light in 2018.

The Cambridge Analytica scandal exposed how the political consulting firm had improperly accessed personal data from millions of Facebook users without their consent. The data was subsequently used for political profiling and targeted advertising purposes during election campaigns, triggering investigations and legal proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.

New Mexico pursued the case asserting that Meta's inadequate data protection measures and privacy safeguards violated consumer protection laws. The state argued that the company failed in its duty to protect residents' personal information from third-party misuse.

Meta has faced numerous lawsuits and regulatory actions globally stemming from the Cambridge Analytica revelations. The company has previously agreed to substantial settlements with regulators, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and implemented reforms to its data handling practices in response to the controversy.

Photo: The entrance to Meta Platforms' headquarters in Menlo Park, California, March 2022. LPS.1 via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).