Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion Fine in New Mexico Court

Meta has been ordered by a New Mexico court to pay $25 billion. The judicial decision relates to data privacy violations dating back to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

A jury in Santa Fe concluded that the company misled citizens regarding the protection and collection of user information. More than 43 million violations of the state's unfair trade practices act were recorded.

Judge Francis Mathew determined the final amount after the initial calculated figure reached $219.5 billion. The sentence highlights the intentional and systematic nature of the company's conduct over the years.

In addition to the primary fine, the court imposed an annual interest rate of 15% on the amount owed until full payment is made. New Mexico chose not to join previous federal settlements involving other American states on the same issue.

This legal development increases pressure on the tech giant's balance sheet. Rising legal liabilities for major corporations can heighten the perception of systemic risk and affect investor confidence in technology assets across the global market.