Why Meta should pay a record fine

25 billion dollars Why Meta should pay a record fine As of: October 22, 2026 • 8:36 a.m

The Cambridge Analytica scandal shook trust in Facebook in 2018. Data was tapped to create voter profiles. Now the parent company Meta has been sentenced to a billion-dollar fine for misleading statements.

Up to 87 million Facebook profiles illegally accessed and used to create voter profiles. That was, in a sentence, the data scandal surrounding the consulting firm Cambridge Analytica in 2018.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens from the US state of New Mexico were among the affected Facebook users at the time. He sued five years ago and has since been proven right, says Attorney General Raúl Torrez from the Democratic Party proudly. Facebook misled its users, Torrez said at a press conference.

Parent company Meta openly lied to consumers around the world about how little control they actually have over the information they share on social media platforms.

Attorney General Torrez sharply criticized Meta for its treatment of users.

Meta was convicted not for the leaked data of its users, but for misleading statements: Facebook had promised users that they would control their data, and that was wrong, writes judge Francis Mathew, and is now imposing a fine of 25 billion dollars. It is the highest ever imposed on Meta.

Meta's corporate lawyers wanted to pay a maximum of $3.4 billion, since the case was eight years ago and the platform is now more secure. Facebook wants to appeal, but it could be even more expensive: According to the ruling, 15 percent interest will be charged on the penalty amount as long as it is not paid. This makes a long appointment risky.

And the Constitution of New Mexico regulates something else: fines from consumer protection must be invested in education. Public schools in New Mexico can hope for a renovation soon.

There will be a new share without voting rights to finance it. more

Costly defeats like these are now a real balance sheet factor for Meta, Meta CFO Susan Li told reporters. There are still some legal matters that could have a significant impact on Meta's results - for example when it comes to the protection of minors. There are still several proceedings underway in the USA against Meta, which, in addition to Facebook, also operates the Whatsapp and Instagram platforms.

Such defeats have apparently been priced in for the group's investors: Even if the record fine from New Mexico were to stand, it would only correspond to 1.4 percent of Meta's market value. And the company once again announced record sales on the day of the New Mexico verdict, despite nearly $10 billion in provisions for legal costs.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 22, 2026 | 6:51 a.m