Jury Finds Facebook Liable for Deceiving Users on Privacy Protections
A New Mexico jury ruled that Facebook deceived users about privacy safeguards, with the judge to decide damages.
A New Mexico jury has found Facebook, operated by Meta, liable for deceiving users about privacy protections on its social media platform. The verdict came after a two-week trial in Santa Fe.
Jurors determined that Facebook misled the public regarding its handling of user data following a significant data breach. This breach, originating from a third-party personality quiz, resulted in the harvesting of data from approximately 87 million profiles. This information was subsequently sold to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that utilized it for targeted advertising, including for the 2016 campaign of Donald Trump.
The jury sided with state prosecutors, concluding that Facebook's failure to adequately protect user data impacted New Mexico's entire population of over two million people. They found the company liable for more than two million violations, based on misleading the public about investigations into data brokers after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Facebook's attorneys argued during closing arguments that the state's evidence was outdated and that New Mexico had not presented sufficient proof of further data breaches beyond the Cambridge Analytica incident. However, the jury's decision found the company accountable.
The question of damages is now in the hands of the judge. Attorneys representing New Mexico are seeking the maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation.
This case proceeds independently of a larger multistate lawsuit settlement. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to resolve claims concerning child safety issues. That settlement also included a provision releasing Meta from future liability related to the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach. New Mexico was the only state that did not sign onto that settlement, with Florida also opting out due to dissatisfaction with its terms.
Separately, New Mexico has achieved significant legal victories against Meta this year concerning the safety of minors online. In a two-phase trial, the company was ordered to pay $942 million and implement new safeguards, such as age-verification technology and usage time limits on its platforms.