New Mexico Judge Imposes $25 Billion Penalty on Meta in Cambridge Analytica Case

New Mexico District Court Judge Francis J. Mathew imposed a $25 billion civil penalty on Meta on Wednesday, Oct. 21, after a jury found 43,899,725 violations of the state's Unfair Practices Act in litigation tied to Cambridge Analytica.

The order applies 15% annual interest until the amount is paid. It cites a maximum statutory penalty of $5,000 per violation and records that jurors found 26 Facebook representations willful, covering May 24, 2010, through Aug. 18, 2021.

“Facebook promised users that they (the users) controlled their data. This was false,” Mathew wrote. Meta Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney said the company is confident it will prevail on appeal.

The case concerned Facebook's handling of user data and statements about users' control over their information following the Cambridge Analytica revelations. It also addressed the company's public statements about third-party access and its response to misinformation and hate speech.

Mathew reserved a decision on injunctive relief — a court order that can require or bar conduct — until the parties submit further briefing.