Meta expects to appeal $25B penalty in New Mexico case

C.J. Mahoney: C.J. Mahoney is Meta's chief legal officer. He stated the company's confidence in prevailing on appeal of both the underlying jury verdict and the imposed penalty. His remarks reflect Meta's stance that the penalty raises constitutional concerns around due process and excessive fines. Raúl Torrez: Raúl Torrez serves as the Attorney General of New Mexico. He noted that the state anticipated an appeal from Meta and stands ready to defend its legal position in the consumer protection case. His statements followed the jury's findings and the court's ruling on the penalty. Peter Ormerod: Peter Ormerod is a law professor at Villanova University with expertise in consumer protection and technology-related legal issues. He analyzed the appeal prospects in the Meta case, identifying the requirement of proof that individuals saw or relied on misrepresentations as the most vulnerable element of the penalty calculation. His comments underscore potential grounds for reducing the award on appeal. Meta Platforms: Meta Platforms operates major social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram. It is the defendant in a New Mexico consumer protection lawsuit alleging it misled users about data access, hate speech handling, and other policies. The company has expressed confidence in winning its planned appeal of the jury verdict and resulting penalty. State Position: New Mexico's attorney general expects an appeal and has indicated the state is prepared to defend the judgment in the consumer protection lawsuit. Appeal Prospects: Legal experts assess that Meta has a strong basis to challenge the penalty on appeal by arguing that violations require evidence individuals actually saw or relied on the misrepresentations. Constitutional Issues: Meta may pursue arguments before the US Supreme Court on due process and protection from excessive fines if state court appeals do not succeed.