Meta Fined 2.36 Lakh Crore for Lies in Data Privacy Case

The social media giant Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, has received a rude shock after being fined a whopping $25 billion, which translates to Rs 2.36 lakh crore in Indian currency. Meta has been ordered to pay this staggering amount to New Mexico in connection with the Cambridge Analytica data privacy case.

A judge in New Mexico on Wednesday ordered Meta to pay $25 billion following a two-week trial.

According to reports, the New Mexico court found that Meta had spent years misleading the public about how it handled Facebook user data. The judge said the alleged lies extended beyond Facebook’s data practices and struck at the heart of the company’s core business practices.

New Mexico filed the lawsuit over Facebook’s role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, when Meta was still operating under the Facebook name.

Cambridge Analytica allegedly used data from millions of Facebook users for political consulting. Its work included activities related to the 2016 US presidential election, which Donald Trump won for the first time.

New Mexico accused Meta of misleading the public about how it profited from content containing hate speech and how it enforced rules against such content. The jury found that Meta had intentionally misled the public on these issues as well. Meta denied the allegations and argued that the lawsuit sought to restrict online speech by imposing new rules on what people could say on the internet.

The state argued that Meta’s alleged misconduct over user data affected nearly two million people living in New Mexico. It had sought up to $40 billion (Rs 3.78 lakh crore) in fines against Meta.

However, Meta argued that any penalty exceeding $3.4 billion (Rs 32,143 crore) would be unconstitutional.

Responding to the New Mexico court ruling, Meta’s chief lawyer, CJ Mahoney, said the ruling would make it nearly impossible for the company to operate in New Mexico. He added that Meta would appeal the ruling and expressed confidence that it would succeed.

It may be noted that the $25 billion fine is the largest penalty imposed on Meta to date. Meta has faced fines or agreed to settle several other lawsuits this year, including an $18 billion (Rs 1.7 lakh crore) deal with California over child safety.