New Mexico Seeks $40 Billion Fine Against Meta Platforms

The New Mexico Department of Justice has requested that a judge impose a fine between $35 billion and $40 billion on Meta Platforms following a jury verdict. The jury determined the company violated state consumer protection laws by misleading users about Facebook's content policies and privacy practices, including false claims that the platform prohibits hate speech.

Central to the case was a 2010 statement by Mark Zuckerberg regarding user control over personal information, which the jury found resulted in more than two million violations. The trial examined the harvesting of data from millions of users by Cambridge Analytica through a personality quiz application.

Meta Platforms has contested the verdict and the proposed penalty, describing the requested amount as an astronomical penalty that violates constitutional protections against excessive fines. The company further argued that it possesses a First Amendment right to manage its platforms in the interest of its community.