Meta ordered to pay $25 billion to New Mexico after jury finds 44 million consumer-protection violations

A federal jury in New Mexico found Meta guilty of nearly 44 million violations of the state’s consumer-protection laws, leading U.S. District Judge Francis J. Mathew to order the company to pay $25 billion. The penalty follows New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s decision not to join an $18 billion multistate settlement that Meta reached earlier this year with attorneys general in most other states.

Judge Mathew wrote that Meta’s conduct, which spanned more than a decade, involved repeated and willful deception about users’ control of data, third-party data misuse, misinformation, hate speech, and enforcement practices. He noted that internal communications showed senior leadership, including Mark Zuckerberg, were aware of misleading public representations and that the violations were not isolated incidents but arose from ongoing false statements.

Torrez praised the ruling, calling it a historic day for consumers and emphasizing that large technology firms are not beyond the reach of the law. A Meta spokesperson said the company will appeal, arguing the penalty is unconstitutional and that the enforcement approach makes it “all but impossible to do business in the state of New Mexico.” The spokesperson added that Meta remains committed to building a safe platform while it pursues the appeal.

Legal analysts told Reuters that Meta may have a reasonable chance of reducing the fine on appeal, citing constitutional challenges. The $25 billion judgment follows a $5 billion settlement Meta reached with the Federal Trade Commission over the Cambridge Analytica scandal and a $10 billion multistate settlement reported in the company’s recent earnings release.

Consumer-advocacy groups warned that as Meta expands its artificial-intelligence offerings, state regulators will need to remain vigilant to protect residents from potential harms.