Meta’s $25 billion legal loss just put blood in the water

A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion to resolve claims that Meta misled users around the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal and related incidents, but Meta has vowed to appeal. The settlement is unprecedented, and the outcome may have implications for other states to seek bigger payouts. The ruling may encourage opponents of Big Tech to pursue litigation for greater compensation. If the fine sticks, it could lead to a new appetite for costly lawsuits against tech companies. The $25 billion court order covered millions of violations of New Mexico's unfair practices law, specifically related to data protection and misinformation.