Meta Misled Users on Privacy, New Mexico Jury Finds
A New Mexico jury ruled Meta violated the state's Unfair Practices Act by misleading residents about privacy and misinformation handling. A fine has yet to be determined.
A New Mexico jury has found that Meta violated the state's Unfair Practices Act by misleading residents about privacy and how it handles misinformation. The verdict, reported by Reuters, stems from a 2021 lawsuit filed by New Mexico in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
The state's lawsuit claimed Meta misrepresented what third-party apps could do with user data, maintained unclear or vague privacy settings, and falsely said it applied hate speech policies equally to everyone. Cambridge Analytica harvested data from 50 million Facebook users largely without consent, using it to target political advertising during the 2016 election.
During the trial, Meta's lawyers admitted past mistakes in handling misinformation and privacy, but denied selling users' data or benefiting from hate speech. A judge has not yet ruled on the amount of Meta's fine.
Meta, which rebranded from Facebook in 2021, has reached multiple settlements related to Cambridge Analytica in the US, UK and Australia. The company settled with 47 US states over child safety concerns in an $18 billion settlement, which included a $459 million payment to resolve existing Cambridge Analytica lawsuits. New Mexico and Florida declined to participate in that part of the settlement.
Quick answers
What did the New Mexico jury find Meta guilty of?
The jury found Meta violated the state's Unfair Practices Act by misleading residents about privacy and how it handles misinformation.
How much will Meta have to pay?
A judge has not yet ruled on the amount of Meta's fine.
Why did New Mexico sue Meta?
The 2021 lawsuit was filed after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, claiming Meta misrepresented what third-party apps could do with user data, maintained unclear privacy settings, and falsely said it applied hate speech policies equally.