Meta ordered to pay $25 billion in consumer protection case: CEI analysis

On Wednesday, a New Mexico district court judge ordered tech giant Meta to pay a historic $25 billion civil penalty over its data and content moderation practices. CEI research fellow Alex Reinauer warns of the ruling’s dangerous implications for free speech. 

“A social media company’s statements of values regarding how it moderates content constitute pure speech protected by the First Amendment. By twisting these values into commercial representations, New Mexico has made clear that engaging in constitutionally protected expression carries huge financial risks,” said Reinauer.