New Mexico Jury Finds Meta Misled Users on Data Practices

A jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, found that Meta Platforms misled state residents by giving false information about how it shared user data and handled hate speech and misinformation. The verdict came after a two-week trial in a lawsuit filed by New Mexico's attorney general in 2021, which stemmed from the 2018 discovery that the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica harvested personal data from up to 87 million Facebook users through a third-party app without consent. New Mexico stated that Meta sold user data to outside parties and allowed harmful content to spread when it helped the company make money, while also misleading users about how it enforced its rules. Jurors reviewed 29 statements identified by the state and found 26 of them to be misleading, though they rejected claims that Meta lied about its fact-checking practices and efforts to remove harmful content. Judge Francis Mathew will now decide on civil penalties after the jury found more than 43 million violations based on the number of affected people. Under state law, the judge can award up to $5,000 for each violation, and the state attorney general said his office will push for the maximum amount. The state will also ask the judge to order Meta to make changes, such as correcting past misstatements and submitting to an audit of its data management. Meta lawyers argued during the trial that the state used cherry-picked snippets that ignored context where the company admitted its handling of privacy and misinformation was not perfect, and the company also denied selling user information. A Meta spokesperson stated the company disagreed with the verdict and plans to keep defending itself, adding that its platforms protect user information and prioritize free expression. This is the second time in six months that a Santa Fe jury has weighed a lawsuit brought by New Mexico against Meta, following an earlier trial where a jury found the company misled users about young user safety and led to large financial penalties and settlements.