Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion for Deceiving Users on Privacy

[u/bankroll5441]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/21/technology/meta-penalty-new-mexico.html

[u/asdf_lord]

The stock is currently up 18 billion dollars today.

[u/ChangeAccountsBeSafe → u/asdf_lord]

Its an automated algorithm that steals from Americans 😆

[u/Foxcooler]

Remember when journalists were calling it Meta’s “big tobacco moment” thinking litigation would break them apart?

Oh how naive

[u/coconutpiecrust → u/Foxcooler]

Still possible, maybe. Keep pressing on. All we can do in the end. 

[u/ProcedureHopeful2944 → u/coconutpiecrust]

At the risk of being downvoted for mentioning Florida, it's the only other state that didn't settle in September. FL attorney general mentioned going after a big Meta settlement for FL. Based on population, that price tag should be 10x NM

[u/jampf]

Who sees that money? Far from those that had their privacy violated.

[u/Centurion_83 → u/jampf]

Lawyers will get the majority and you'll get a check for $7.89 a year from now

[u/bala_means_bullet → u/Centurion_83]

You didn't tax that amount. $4.32 after taxes.

[u/aStonedDeer]

When do they pay?

What happens to the money?

[u/blazing_straddles → u/aStonedDeer]

My guess is they appeal the amount, which will get reduced to something like $250M in a few years, and the lawyers get most of it.

[u/FrotApe → u/aStonedDeer]

The lawyers will get yachts upgrades and their wives will move along with maralago upgrades.

[u/randomtask → u/FrotApe]

A pufferfish face that has all the visual nuance of a 2nd grader’s art project is not an upgrade. The only reason these women do it is to show obedience to the chauvinistic, patriarchal assholes that have all the money in the world. These billionaires are theoretically capable of doing amazing, helpful, wonderful things for society but all of them accumulated all that wealth by kicking people while they were down and demanding conformity and control while they raked in the cash. The plastic surgery these women get is a physical reflection of their male counterparts’ demand for conformity, control, and unquestioning loyalty.

[u/YoshiTheDog420 → u/FrotApe]

Part of the terms of these kinds of settlements should be that the amount won, is the amount given to those who were harmed. Court costs are subsidized and within reason. Not to enrich the admin.

[u/solobeauty20]

They were found liable for violating 43 MILLION privacy laws and the attorneys are arguing that a fine of just $581 per law violation is too much?!

Maybe don’t actively violate privacy laws for your own enrichment. The fine (and despicable “settlement” by the other states) is far too low.

Until we actually hold them accountable for the very real harm they are inflicting, they will continue to actively break the law because the fines are so minimal to them that its baked into the cost of them doing business.

[u/Money-Director6649 → u/solobeauty20]

there are 43 million privacy laws??

[u/iamacheeto1]

If I spy on my neighbor, I go to prison. If a corporation spies on a billion people, they get a slap on the wrist.

[u/Gentleman_Villain]

Here's how you fix Meta.

Break up the fucking company, and replace Zuk with a corgi as CEO.

[u/the_blastomatic]

Make it 1.25T and you have a real punishment.

[u/bobsonjunk]

DOJ? Nah… corrupt and bought out.

[u/Machievelliearoni]

The biggest monopoly in America.

[u/According_Gift_7095]

If a CEO is paying out BILLIONS in multiple jurisdictions, for countless felonies…..it’s time for long jail sentences for all the company’s leadership.

They knew it was illegal, profited and faced no consequence, making more in profit than the fine.

[u/TunnelingVisions]

There will never be a fine paid for a crime in which more money was made breaking the law vs paying the fine. Aka worth it*

[u/Zer0C00L321]

Should be paying meeeeeee.

[u/Square-Weight4148]

How much will the fines be for promoting nazi propeganda anf supporting pedophiles on the run from the law.

[u/Wrong_Chicken_5916]

Woohoo! Enjoy your 5 bucks from the settlement lol.

[u/Aman_Syndai → u/Wrong_Chicken_5916]

I'd rather have the whole $25 billion go into the states general fund, education might get fully funded for a few years.

[u/Valuable-Flounder692]

Colour me shocked, meta denying thieving privacy lol.

[u/VirginiaLuthier]

Not $0.01 comes out of Marky's pocket

[u/osym]

Who are they paying it to? 🤔

[u/sanjosedre]

5mil in someone’s crypto will get them out of it

[u/Old_Competition3094]

Needs to be a dollar amount specifically for every user