Meta continues to face repercussions from its Cambridge Analytica controversies.
A jury in New Mexico has determined that Meta misled the public regarding the use of personal data, violating the state’s Unfair Practices Act. This verdict stems from a lawsuit initiated by the state in 2021, linked to the infamous Cambridge Analytica incident, where data obtained from Facebook was utilized for targeted political campaigns during the 2016 elections.
The lawsuit accused Meta of inaccurately representing the data sharing practices of third-party applications, maintaining confusing privacy settings, and incorrectly asserting uniform enforcement of hate speech policies. Although Meta’s legal representatives acknowledged prior missteps related to misinformation and privacy management, they contested claims that the company sold user data or profited from hate speech.
The judge has yet to determine the financial penalties Meta will face. An inquiry has been directed to the company for comment regarding the jury’s findings, and updates will be provided as they become available.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved the unauthorized acquisition of data from 50 million Facebook users, remains a significant blemish on Meta’s history—one that the company attempted to move past by rebranding itself in 2021. Since then, Meta has entered into several settlement agreements related to this controversy in countries including the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Its latest settlement, involving 47 U.S. states concerning child safety issues, amounted to $18 billion, which included a payment of $459 million to settle related Cambridge Analytica lawsuits. Notably, New Mexico and Florida opted out of this settlement, thereby allowing this trial to proceed and ending with another unfavorable ruling against Meta.
