The company continues to pay for the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
A New Mexico jury found that Meta violated the state’s unfair practices law and misled residents about their privacy and how the company handled misinformation. Reuters reports. The lawsuit was the result of a 2021 lawsuit filed by the state in response to Meta’s Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which data collected on Facebook was used to target political advertising during the 2016 election.
The state’s original lawsuit claimed that Meta misrepresented what it let third-party apps do with its data, maintained privacy settings that were unclear or vague, and falsely stated that it applied hate speech policies the same to everyone, among other issues. Reuters writes that Meta’s lawyers admitted the company made mistakes in how it handled misinformation and privacy in the past, but denied selling user data or profiting from hate speech.
A judge has not yet ruled on the amount of fine Meta will have to pay. Woozad asked the company for comment on the case and the jury’s decision. We will update this article if we receive a response.
Cambridge Analytica harvesting and using the information of 50 million Facebook users largely without their consent is one of several black marks on Meta’s CV, which it conveniently distanced itself from by rebranding itself as Meta in 2021. The company has entered into several settlement agreements in response to Cambridge Analytica in the US, UK and Australia. Most recently, it settled with 47 U.S. states over child safety issues in an $18 billion settlement that included a $459 million payment to specifically resolve existing lawsuits against Cambridge Analytica. Reuters writing. New Mexico and Florida refused to participate in this part of the settlement, allowing this trial to take place and a jury to rule against Meta again.
