Nearly a decade after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, New Mexico alone is taking Facebook to trial
PUBLISHED Sep 9, 2026, 12:15 PM ET
Nearly a decade after the 2016 Cambridge Analytica data scandal, New Mexico is the sole U.S. state taking Meta to trial over privacy violations. Opening statements begin Wednesday in Santa Fe state court, following a multi-state settlement involving 48 states and a separate dissent by Florida. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleges Meta misrepresented its data collection practices and failed to protect users from third-party harvesting. Approximately 87 million profiles globally, including roughly 350,000 New Mexico residents, were accessed via a personality quiz and sold for targeted political advertising. The trial challenges corporate data handling and tests state-level regulatory enforcement against major social media companies. Meta denies liability and defends its privacy frameworks. Legal observers note the outcome could establish significant state-level precedent for tech accountability, independent of national settlements. Proceedings continue under close scrutiny from consumer privacy advocates nationwide.
By James Porter | JQJO News
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Left: Emphasize corporate accountability, consumer protection, and strict regulatory penalties. Center: Focus objectively on legal procedures, trial timelines, and multi-state settlement differences. Right: Highlight regulatory overreach concerns and state litigation burdens on businesses.
New Mexico Attorney General announced trial start date on September 8. https://www.reuters.com/legal/new-mexico-takes-meta-trial-over-cambridge-analytica-scandal-2026-09-08/
Coverage of Story:
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New Mexico takes Meta to court alone over Cambridge Analytica breach
New York Times The IndependentFrom Center
New Mexico takes Meta to trial over Cambridge Analytica scandal
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Facebook parent Meta faces trial in New Mexico over voter data harvest
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