Meta Platforms has been ordered to pay $25 billion (approximately KSh 3.2 trillion) to the US state of New Mexico after a jury found that Facebook misled consumers about data privacy and related platform policies. The ruling, issued on October 21, 2026, follows a lawsuit linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and is expected to face an appeal.
New Mexico District Judge Francis Mathew set the penalty after jurors found in September that Meta had committed more than 43 million violations of the state’s consumer protection laws. The case focused on statements about users’ control over their personal information, access to Facebook data by third parties and the company’s handling of harmful content.
The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez following revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct political consulting firm, had obtained data from as many as 87 million Facebook profiles through a third-party application. The information was used to build voter profiles and support targeted political advertising during the 2016 US presidential election.
Prosecutors argued that Facebook misled users about how their personal information was accessed and used. The jury found that 26 of 29 statements examined during the case were misleading, resulting in more than 43 million violations under the state’s consumer protection law.
The state had sought a penalty of between $35 billion and $40 billion, while Meta’s lawyers argued that the amount should be capped at approximately $3.45 billion. Judge Mathew ultimately imposed the $25 billion penalty, which is among the largest financial judgments against a company by a US state.
Meta has disputed the ruling and indicated that it will appeal. The company’s chief legal officer, C.J. Mahoney, argued that the state’s approach would make it difficult to operate in New Mexico and said the company was confident it would prevail on appeal.
Under New Mexico law, penalties collected for violations of consumer protection laws are directed towards state education spending. However, the money may remain tied up while the appeal proceeds, meaning the state’s eventual recovery will depend on the outcome of further legal proceedings.
The case adds to Meta’s wider legal challenges over privacy, platform safety and the impact of its social media services. In 2019, the company agreed to pay a $5 billion penalty to the US Federal Trade Commission over privacy violations connected to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
For technology companies, the judgment highlights the financial and reputational risks associated with how platforms explain their data practices to users. The appeal will determine whether the $25 billion penalty stands, is reduced or is otherwise changed, while renewed scrutiny of consumer privacy is likely to remain a major issue for the technology industry.
