In brief
A federal judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 bn in a case that alleged the company intentionally misled the public about Facebook’s data practices. The fine, the largest imposed on Meta to date, follows a series of legal challenges and settlements over privacy violations. In the two‑week trial, investigators uncovered senior‑level communications designed to deceive users and regulators. Despite a proposed penalty of $219 bn based on thousands of state‑law violations, the court capped the award at $25 bn, citing procedural factors. Meta has yet to respond publicly to the ruling.
A federal judge in New Mexico has imposed a record $25 bn fine on Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The decision follows a two‑week trial that found the company repeatedly lied to the public about how it handled and protected user data.
Judge Francis Mathew noted that the lies “extend beyond Facebook’s data practices” and hit “the heart of its core business practices.” The court cited senior‑executive communications, including those by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, that were deliberately designed to deceive both users and regulators.
Meta had earlier settled for $18 bn with California over similar privacy concerns and was already facing multiple other fines this year. While the initial penalty was calculated at $219 bn based on thousands of state‑law violations, the judge lowered the award to $25 bn in an effort to avoid excessively large penalties that could jeopardize the company’s viability.
The company has not yet issued a statement regarding the ruling. The judgment underscores the legal and regulatory pressure big tech firms face as they tackle user privacy and data governance issues worldwide.
