Meta Fined 25 Billion Dollars in Major Facebook Data Privacy Breach Case

In a major blow to social media giant Meta, a court has ordered the company to pay 25 billion dollars (approximately Rs 2.1 lakh crore) in damages over a Facebook data privacy breach linked to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The severe action was taken after the company failed to protect the personal information of millions of Facebook users.

Judge Francis Mathew issued the verdict, ruling that Meta violated consumer protection laws and misled users regarding personal data safety. The legal action was initiated in 2021 by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez following allegations surrounding Cambridge Analytica's unauthorized access to user data during the 2016 US presidential election campaign. Investigation revealed that Meta misled users regarding third-party app data access.

This landmark judgment serves as a major warning to global tech giants regarding user data privacy and accountability. Meanwhile, Meta is preparing to appeal the verdict in a higher court.