Meta found liable for misleading New Mexico residents on

A jury in New Mexico has ruled that Meta violated the state's consumer protection laws by misleading residents about how it handles their personal data and manages misinformation on its platforms.

The verdict emerged from a 2021 lawsuit filed by New Mexico in response to the Cambridge Analytica incident, in which personal information harvested from Facebook was weaponized for targeted political advertising during the 2016 presidential election. The state's legal challenge centered on Meta's alleged misrepresentations regarding third-party app access to user data, unclear privacy settings, and claims that the company applied hate speech policies inconsistently across its user base.

During the trial, Meta's legal team acknowledged that the company had made errors in its past handling of misinformation and privacy protections. However, they contested the state's core allegations, denying that Meta sold user data or profited from hate speech content.

The jury's decision marks another legal setback for the social media giant over the Cambridge Analytica fallout. Meta has already reached settlement agreements in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia related to the scandal. In 2022, the company agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 47 U.S. states over child safety concerns, which included a $459 million payment specifically addressing existing Cambridge Analytica claims. New Mexico and Florida opted out of that settlement agreement, enabling their separate legal proceedings to move forward.

A judge has not yet determined the financial penalty Meta will face as a result of the New Mexico verdict. The company has been contacted for comment on the ruling.