Facebook New Mexico Privacy Lawsuit Verdict, Were You Affected? State of New Mexico v. Facebook, Inc., No. D-101-CV-2021-00132

State of New Mexico v. Facebook, Inc., No. D-101-CV-2021-00132, is a state lawsuit over what Facebook told people about their data. If you ever felt those privacy promises didn’t add up, a Santa Fe jury agreed on September 25, 2026, finding 43,899,725 violations. Wondering if you’re part of the Facebook lawsuit? You’re not a plaintiff, and there’s no claim form. Here’s what it means for you.

Facebook Privacy Lawsuit — Key Facts

Detail	Information
Lawsuit Filed	2021 (exact date UNVERIFIED — Reuters gives only the year)
Defendant	Facebook, Inc., now Meta Platforms, Inc.
Alleged Harm	Misleading statements about data, hate speech and misinformation
Law Alleged	New Mexico Unfair Practices Act
Who Is Affected	New Mexico consumers who used Facebook
Court & Case Number	First Judicial District Court, Santa Fe. State of New Mexico v. Facebook, Inc., No. D-101-CV-2021-00132
Current Stage	Verdict September 25, 2026. Penalty hearing held October 1, 2026. Ruling pending
Lead Plaintiff Deadline	N/A — state enforcement action, not a class action
Settlement Status	No settlement. Meta is contesting the verdict and any penalty
Last Updated	October 2, 2026

Who Is Facebook and Why Are They Being Sued for Misleading New Mexico Users?

Facebook, Inc., now Meta Platforms, Inc., held New Mexico users’ personal data while telling the public how it was handled, and the state says those statements didn’t hold up. Jurors flagged 26 of the 29 statements. If you’ve used Facebook in New Mexico, you’re likely part of the audience the jury counted.

What Did Facebook Tell New Mexico Users About Their Data?

New Mexico sued under its Unfair Practices Act, a state law that bans false or misleading statements in business. The jury found Facebook told people they controlled how their information was shared, and that it didn’t sell their data to advertisers. The jury called those statements willful.

The verdict also reaches Facebook’s claims about hate speech and misinformation, and its promises after Cambridge Analytica to audit apps and notify affected people. The state lost on three.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said Facebook acted as if the rules didn’t apply to it, and that “a jury of New Mexicans said otherwise.” Meta disagrees.

This isn’t a class action. We covered a similar structure in Hawaii Joins $2,287,455 Labcorp Data Breach Settlement With 43 Other States — No Consumer Claim Form, where states collected money and consumers had no form to file. What stood out to me in the state’s release is that the case isn’t only about a data breach, it’s about promises Facebook made.

Are You Part of the Facebook Privacy Lawsuit?

Short answer: you’re not a plaintiff. The State of New Mexico filed this lawsuit itself, and the jury counted violations by who each statement reached, according to Reuters.

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

Who’s covered

• New Mexico consumers who used Facebook, since the state’s claims center on statements made to them
• Anyone the jury counted in a statement’s audience, which the Associated Press says covered New Mexico’s entire population of more than two million people

Who isn’t

• Facebook users outside New Mexico, because violations were counted against New Mexico’s audience
• Anyone expecting a personal check, since no payments to users have been announced

Ever used Facebook in New Mexico? Then this case is about promises the company made to people like you, even though you aren’t a plaintiff.

Related article: University of Newcastle $7.55M Class Action Settlement Approved Over Medical Engineering Degree Accreditation

Facebook Users Outside New Mexico — Are You Still Covered?

This is a state law case. The Unfair Practices Act protects New Mexico consumers, and the jury counted violations against that audience. Other states settled separately: in August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion in a multistate child-safety deal that also released it from future Cambridge Analytica liability, the Associated Press reported.

Not sure where you stand? A free legal consultation with a data privacy attorney can tell you whether the Facebook privacy lawsuit affects you and whether a separate claim is worth your time.

What Is New Mexico Asking the Court to Award Against Facebook?

No money yet. No claim form yet. The state is asking for civil penalties payable to the government and an order barring similar practices, and NMDOJ’s verdict release describes no payments to individual users.

Under the Unfair Practices Act, the penalty runs up to $5,000 per willful violation, and 43,899,725 violations puts the legal ceiling at $219,498,625,000. That’s my math, not the court’s. At the October 1 hearing, the state asked Judge Francis Mathew for $35,000,000,000 to $40,000,000,000 instead, Reuters reported.

Scenario	Total penalty	Per violation
Statutory maximum	$219,498,625,000	$5,000
State’s request, low end	$35,000,000,000	about $797
State’s request, high end	$40,000,000,000	about $911
Meta’s proposed cap	$3,450,000,000	about $79

Per-violation figures are my own division.

Meta pushes back. Its filings urge a cap of $3,450,000,000, and its lawyers argue the state never proved any consumer was actually misled, Reuters reported. Judge Mathew expects to rule later this month.

Here’s what the headlines skip. Nobody is asking the judge for that ceiling now. The real gap sits between Meta’s $3,450,000,000 cap and the state’s request, a difference of at least $31,550,000,000.

What Could Facebook Users in New Mexico Receive If This Settles?

Nobody can predict that yet. A settlement would depend on the ruling, any appeal, and whether any deal includes payments to users, and NMDOJ’s verdict release points to none. A free legal consultation with a consumer rights lawyer can tell you whether you have a separate claim for compensation for damages.

What Should Facebook Users in New Mexico Do Right Now?

1. You don’t have to sign up for anything. The state is the plaintiff, so there’s no form, no portal, and no deadline. No panic.
2. Save your records now. Keep account alerts, notices from Facebook, privacy-setting screenshots and credit reports.
3. Write down any real loss. Meta says the state never proved any consumer was misled, so your own evidence matters if you ever bring a claim.
4. Skip the lead plaintiff hunt. There’s no class, so there’s no lead plaintiff deadline.
5. Watch the docket. The case sits in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, with the case number in the Key Facts table above.
6. Ask about an individual claim. If you’ve had an identity theft problem or another concrete loss, a data privacy attorney can check which deadlines apply to you. Our Data Breach coverage tracks similar privacy cases.

You don’t have to do anything today. But if you’ve got proof of real harm, don’t wait for the judge to decide what the case is worth.

Facebook Privacy Lawsuit — Full Timeline

Milestone	Date
Lawsuit filed	2021 (exact date UNVERIFIED)
Jury verdict	September 25, 2026
Penalty hearing	October 1, 2026
Judge’s penalty ruling	Expected later in October 2026 (Reuters)
Next scheduled hearing	UNVERIFIED — none reported
Appeal	UNVERIFIED — no notice reported as of October 2, 2026
Expected resolution	UNVERIFIED — depends on ruling and appeal

Watch for the ruling. If you’ve used Facebook in New Mexico, that’s when the penalty stops being a range and becomes a real number.

Facebook Privacy Lawsuit — Frequently Asked Questions, No. D-101-CV-2021-00132

Is there a lawsuit against Facebook for privacy violations right now?

 Yes, but not a class action. The State of New Mexico brought it, so there’s no class and no claim form. The jury found 43,899,725 violations.

Do I need to do anything right now to be part of the Facebook lawsuit?

 No. The state is the plaintiff, so there’s nothing to sign up for. If you’ve lost money to identity misuse, talk to a data privacy attorney.

When will the Facebook privacy case settle?

 There’s no settlement. Judge Francis Mathew held the penalty hearing October 1, 2026, and Reuters reported he expects to rule later this month. Meta is contesting the penalty, so an appeal is possible.

Can I file my own lawsuit against Facebook instead of joining the class? 

There’s no class to join here. Whether you have your own claim depends on your facts and deadlines. A consumer rights lawyer can review your situation first.

How will I find out if the Facebook lawsuit settles?

 Watch the Santa Fe court docket and NMDOJ press releases at nmdoj.gov. I’ll update this article when the penalty ruling lands.

What does “lead plaintiff” mean for the Facebook case and why does the deadline matter?

A lead plaintiff represents a class in a class action. This case has none, because the State of New Mexico brought it directly. There’s no lead plaintiff deadline to miss.

What specific laws did the jury say Facebook violated?

 New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act, which allows penalties up to $5,000 per willful violation. The verdict covers statements on data control, hate speech, misinformation and post-Cambridge Analytica app investigations.

How much could I get from the Facebook settlement if this New Mexico case settles?

 Nothing has been announced. The $35,000,000,000 to $40,000,000,000 the state seeks is a civil penalty, not a fund for users, and no legal settlement payout exists for individuals right now.

Sources Used in This Facebook Privacy Lawsuit Article

• New Mexico Department of Justice — “Jury Finds Facebook Violated New Mexico Consumer Protection Law, Faces Billions in Potential Civil Penalties,” September 25, 2026: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/jury-finds-facebook-violated-new-mexico-consumer-protection-law-faces-billions-in-potential-civil-penalties/
• Reuters — “New Mexico wants Meta to pay up to $40 billion in penalties after data privacy trial,” October 1, 2026 (Investing.com syndicated copy): https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/new-mexico-wants-meta-to-pay-up-to-40-billion-in-penalties-after-data-privacy-trial-4928669
• Associated Press — “New Mexico jury finds Facebook liable of deceiving users about privacy protections,” September 25, 2026 (PBS NewsHour copy): https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/new-mexico-jury-finds-facebook-liable-of-deceiving-users-about-privacy-protections

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the New Mexico Department of Justice’s September 25, 2026 verdict release, Reuters’ October 1, 2026 hearing report and the Associated Press verdict report, as of October 2, 2026. Last Updated: October 2, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.