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Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion Over 43 Million Violations

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 2:05 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Meta Platforms (U.S.) was ordered to pay $25 billion in civil penalties by New Mexico Judge Francis J. Mathew.
Judge Mathew reduced the statutory maximum from $219 billion to $25 billion.
A Santa Fe jury found more than 43 million violations of New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act.
Each violation carries up to $5,000 penalty and will accrue 15% interest annually.
Chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney called the ruling a tax on speech and announced an appeal.

History

Historical Context

Microsoft’s 1998 antitrust case, where Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered a breakup for bundling Windows with Internet Explorer, set a precedent that U.S. courts can impose severe penalties on tech monopolies. That legacy underpins New Mexico Judge Francis J. Mathew’s 2024 judgment against Meta for unfair practices, signaling tighter oversight of data platforms.

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Story summary

Meta Platforms (U.S.) was ordered to pay $25 billion in civil penalties by New Mexico Judge Francis J. Mathew.
Judge Mathew reduced the statutory maximum from $219 billion to $25 billion.
A Santa Fe jury found more than 43 million violations of New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act.
Each violation carries up to $5,000 penalty and will accrue 15% interest annually.
Chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney called the ruling a tax on speech and announced an appeal.

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