A jury in Santa Fe reached a verdict on Friday finding Facebook liable for deceiving users about privacy protections tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The decision now moves to a judge who will determine the monetary penalty, with prosecutors seeking the maximum $5,000 per violation allowed under state law. The two‑week trial centered on accusations that the platform misled users about a data breach involving a third‑party personality quiz that harvested information from roughly 87 million profiles and transferred it to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that worked on the 2016 Trump campaign. Evidence presented showed the breach affected the entire New Mexico population of more than two million residents. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the verdict affirmed that no company is above the rules that protect consumers, calling it a historic step for the state and others pursuing accountability from major tech firms. The same jury also concluded that Facebook misrepresented investigations into data brokers after the scandal, finding the company responsible for more than two million violations. During closing arguments, Facebook's legal team argued that the state's evidence was outdated and that, after five years of investigation, only a single additional breach had been uncovered. A Meta spokesperson told CBS News the company disagrees with the jury's findings and will continue to defend its position, emphasizing that free‑speech considerations were central to the case. The spokesperson added that the firm prioritizes user control over data and maintains that it operates within First Amendment boundaries. Meta recently settled a multistate lawsuit for up to $18 billion related to child‑safety concerns, and the settlement includes a provision that releases the company from future liability on the Cambridge Analytica breach, leaving New Mexico as the sole state to pursue its own case. Earlier this year, New Mexico secured $942 million in judgments against Meta from a separate trial over inadequate safeguards for minors, and the court ordered the implementation of new safeguards such as age‑verification tools and usage time limits. Torrez concluded with a warning to all technology firms operating in the state: deceptive conduct regarding user data will be met with legal consequences.