With Historic $25 Billion Facebook Penalty, New Mexico AG Secures Another Landmark Victory Against Big Tech
State Agency Press release – From the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General
Following a jury verdict finding nearly 44 million violations of state law, New Mexico secures a massive financial penalty in its Cambridge Analytica case
Santa Fe, N.M. — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez today announced a historic financial victory in the State’s landmark Cambridge Analytica case against Facebook, following a court order requiring the company to pay $25 billion in civil penalties for violations of New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act.
New Mexico has secured one of the largest financial penalties against a corporation in U.S. history, and a landmark victory holding Facebook accountable under state consumer protection law. It follows a jury verdict finding that Facebook committed 43,899,725 violations of New Mexico law, a staggering number of violations that reflects the scope of the company’s unlawful conduct toward New Mexicans.
“This is a historic day for New Mexico and for consumers across the country,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “For too long, powerful technology companies have operated as though their size and influence put them beyond the reach of the law. A New Mexico jury found nearly 44 million violations of our consumer protection statute, and this penalty order demonstrates that those violations carry real consequences. We took on one of the largest companies in the world because New Mexicans deserve honesty, accountability, and the protection of their personal information. Today’s result makes clear that no corporation is too powerful to be held accountable.”
The case arose from Facebook’s conduct surrounding the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which brought international attention to the misuse of personal information collected through the platform. The State’s litigation went beyond the scandal itself, challenging Facebook’s representations to consumers about its data practices and its efforts to address misinformation and hate speech.
In the first phase of the trial, a New Mexico jury found that Facebook violated the State’s Unfair Practices Act 43,899,725 times. The verdict followed a trial examining the company’s statements and practices concerning user privacy, third-party access to personal information, and its handling of harmful content.
The jury’s findings established liability. The court’s subsequent penalty order determines the financial consequences of that conduct under New Mexico law.
The magnitude of the verdict underscores the importance of state consumer protection statutes as a tool for holding technology companies accountable. New Mexico pursued its case independently, rather than joining a multistate settlement to resolve its claims, ensuring that the State’s allegations were tested in court and that Facebook was held accountable under New Mexico law.
“This case has always been about more than one company or one scandal,” Torrez said. “It is about whether corporations can mislead consumers about what happens to their personal information without facing meaningful consequences. New Mexico stood its ground, took this case to trial, and secured a verdict establishing millions of violations of our law. This outcome reinforces a fundamental principle, companies that do business in our state must follow our laws and respect the rights of our people.”
The New Mexico Department of Justice will continue to pursue accountability when companies engage in deceptive or unlawful business practices. The case demonstrates the State’s willingness to use its independent enforcement authority to challenge corporate conduct that harms consumers and undermines public trust.
The penalty order represents a major milestone in that work and reinforces the role of state attorneys general in enforcing consumer protection laws in an increasingly digital economy.