New Mexico seeks up to $40 billion in penalties from Meta over data‑privacy violations
The New Mexico Attorney General’s office asked a state judge to order Meta Platforms to pay between $35 billion and $40 billion in civil penalties for violating the state’s Unfair Practices Act. The request follows a jury verdict that Meta made 26 misleading statements about data handling, amounting to 43 million violations. Meta has argued that a penalty of that size would be unconstitutional and has asked the court to cap the award at $3.45 billion. A decision is expected later this month.
Why it matters
If the court adopts the state’s request, Meta could face a liability far larger than any prior penalty, which may pressure the company’s balance sheet and affect its stock price, according to the state’s counsel. Meta’s counter‑proposal to limit the award to $3.45 billion reflects its concern about the financial impact.
Key facts
- 1New Mexico is asking for civil penalties of $35 billion to $40 billion against Meta. santafenewmexican.com
- 2A jury found Meta made 26 misleading statements over an 11‑year period. santafenewmexican.com
- 3The jury calculated 43 million violations of the Unfair Practices Act. engadget.com
- 4The maximum statutory penalty per violation could total $219 billion. santafenewmexican.com
- 5Meta has asked the court to cap the penalties at $3.45 billion. engadget.com
Open questions
- The exact penalty amount is uncertain because the state seeks $35‑$40 billion while Meta proposes a $3.45 billion cap.
Summary written by AlphAI from 4 of 4 sources. Not investment advice. Figures are as stated by the linked sources.