New Mexico Jury Finds Facebook Liable For Deceiving Users On Privacy
A Santa Fe jury on Friday, September 25, 2026, found Facebook liable for more than 2 million privacy violations tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, exposing the company to heavy fines.[1]
Jurors returned the liability verdict after a two-week trial, and state attorneys asked a judge to impose New Mexico's maximum penalty of $5,000 per violation, with the judge to determine the final award.[1] Meta said it disagrees with the verdict, will continue to defend itself, and argued free-speech issues, including a claimed First Amendment right to manage its platforms, featured prominently in the case.[1]
New Mexico declined to join an August 2026 multistate settlement that most states accepted, leaving it the only state still pursuing Cambridge Analytica-related privacy claims after Florida also declined to join.[1] Earlier this year, New Mexico won $942 million in judgments against Meta over safety protections for minors, and courts ordered new safeguards such as age-verification technology and time limits on Meta platforms.[1]
PBS News also reported the jury's finding.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- The jury in Santa Fe returned a liability verdict on Friday, September 25, 2026, after a two-week trial, finding Facebook liable in the Cambridge Analytica-related case (the jury in Santa Fe).
- Jurors found Facebook liable for over 2 million violations tied to misleading statements about data-broker investigations following the Cambridge Analytica scandal (over 2 million violations).
- State attorneys are asking the judge to impose the maximum $5,000 penalty per violation under New Mexico law, with the judge to determine the final award (State attorneys).
- Meta said it disagrees with the verdict, will continue to defend itself, and argued that free speech issues — including a claimed First Amendment right to manage its platforms — featured prominently in the case (Meta).
- Florida was the only other state that declined to join the August 2026 multistate Meta settlement, leaving New Mexico as the only state still pursuing Cambridge Analytica-related privacy claims (Florida).
- New Mexico previously won $942 million in judgments against Meta earlier in 2026 over safety protections for minors, and the court ordered new safeguards such as age-verification technology and time limits on Meta platforms (New Mexico previously won $942 million).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS confirms the jury in Santa Fe returned its liability verdict on Friday, September 25, 2026, after a two-week trial.
- State attorneys are asking the judge to impose the maximum $5,000 penalty per violation under New Mexico law, with the judge to determine the final award.
- Jurors found Facebook liable for over 2 million violations tied to misleading statements about data-broker investigations following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
- Meta, in a statement to CBS News, said it disagrees with the verdict, will continue to defend itself, and argued that free speech issues featured prominently, asserting a First Amendment right to manage its platforms.
- Florida is identified as the only other state that declined to join the August 2026 multistate Meta settlement, leaving New Mexico as the only state still pursuing Cambridge Analytica-related privacy claims.
- New Mexico previously won $942 million in judgments against Meta earlier in 2026 over safety protections for minors, and the court ordered new safeguards such as age-verification technology and time limits on Meta platforms.