When state attorneys general announced a $17 billion settlement with Meta earlier this summer, it was hailed as an unprecedented deal. However, a New Mexico judge’s ruling last week dwarfed that figure, ordering the company to pay $25 billion to settle claims that it deceived users in connection with the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal and related matters. Most other states resolved comparable claims through the earlier settlement. The stark difference has sparked debate over whether the states should have pursued a larger payout. The ultimate outcome will hinge on several variables, including whether Meta can overturn the $25 billion judgment through its legal challenges. Meta’s chief legal …