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Tech · October 21, 2026

Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion for Deceiving Users on Privacy

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A New Mexico state judge has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in civil penalties following a jury verdict that found the company liable for deceiving users regarding data privacy and content moderation policies on Facebook. The judgment, issued by Judge Francis Mathew on October 21, 2026, concludes a lawsuit brought by the state of New Mexico under consumer protection laws. The ruling centers on findings that Meta misled consumers about their control over personal data and its sharing practices with third parties, including advertisers. The case was linked to the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal and involved millions of violations of the state's Unfair Practices Act.

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Reported by multiple outlets

  • A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay a $25 billion penalty.
  • A jury previously found Meta liable for deceiving users about data privacy and content moderation policies.
  • The ruling was issued on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, by Judge Francis Mathew.
  • The lawsuit was initiated by the state of New Mexico under consumer protection laws.
  • The case involved misleading statements regarding user control over personal data sharing.

Reported by only some outlets

  • The jury found that Meta committed between 43 million and 44 million violations of state law.
  • The penalty for each violation was set at $5,000.
  • The lawsuit was originally filed by the state in 2021.
  • The case involved Meta's efforts to mitigate misinformation and hate speech.
  • Judge Mathew cited the involvement of senior Facebook leadership and the systematic nature of misstatements in his decision.

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