New Mexico Jury Finds Meta Misled Users Over Facebook Data Practices

A jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, found that Meta Platforms misled state residents about its Facebook data practices, following a two-week trial over allegations linked to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

The case was filed by New Mexico’s Attorney General in 2021 after reports that Cambridge Analytica had obtained personal data from up to 87 million Facebook users through a third-party app without their consent.

Jurors found 26 of 29 statements identified by the state to be misleading, covering issues including user data, hate speech and misinformation. However, they rejected claims related to Meta’s efforts to remove harmful content and its fact-checking practices.

Meta disagreed with the verdict and said it would continue to defend itself. The company also denied selling users’ information and argued that the statements presented by the state lacked important context.

The judge will now determine civil penalties. The state said there were more than 43 million violations and that it would seek the maximum penalty allowed under New Mexico law, which is up to USD 5,000 per violation. The state may also seek measures requiring Meta to correct past statements and audit its user-data practices.

The verdict comes months after another New Mexico jury found Meta had misled users about the safety of young users on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, resulting in significant civil penalties and additional measures ordered against the company.