Meta ordered to pay $25 billion to New Mexico over consumer protection violations

A judge in New Mexico has ordered Meta Platforms Inc. to pay $25 billion for misleading users about how their data was handled and for failing to prevent misinformation on Facebook. The ruling, issued by Judge Francis J. Mathew, could represent the largest penalty in Meta's history. The case specifically examined Meta's handling of user records that were utilized by Cambridge Analytica for campaign purposes during the 2016 election. Judge Mathew stated that Meta's "wrongdoing—over the course of years and systematically broadcast to the public—goes to the heart of Facebook's core business practices." Last month, Meta reached a $18 billion settlement with a group of US states concerning a child-safety lawsuit.