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Comment by Retric

9 hours ago

They didn’t make $60B in Q4 2025 in Texas. 1.4B was 100% profit from Texas for years, that a big fine.

You also have to ask "how much is the specific thing in the lawsuit worth to Meta?"

I don't know how much automatically opting everyone in to automatic photo tagging made Meta, but I assume its "less than 100% of their revenue".

Barring the point of contention being integral to the business's revenue model or management of the company being infected with oppositional defiant disorder a lawsuit is just an opportunity for some middle manager + team to get praised for making a revenue-negative change that reduces the risk of future fines.

Work like that is a gold mind; several people will probably get promoted for it.

Big for Texas, not for Meta.

  • It’s under 5 hours of GDP for Texas. It’s a big fine, but not a huge deal for either party.

    • So what's the point? If neither party is really affected by a penalty (no diacernible benefit or loss to either), then is it all just performative?

      Maybe I just answered my own question.