Poland has requested a €250 million fine against Meta Platforms (META.O), as announced by Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski. He accused the social media company of failing to address fraudulent advertisements adequately.
In a letter dated 26 August and sent to European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, Gawkowski emphasised the seriousness of the issue. He stated, “The scale of this problem indicates that Meta has failed to respond effectively to fraudulent advertising, despite alerts from Polish authorities.”
Gawkowski also called for a swift investigation and urged Meta to implement tools to eliminate scams and false advertising, saying, “This Wild West on the platform must end.”
Poland’s complaint claims that Meta has kept fraudulent adverts online without action after being notified. He noted that tests by CERT Polska identified 122 fraudulent ads, with Meta removing only 10 and ignoring 106 reports. Gawkowski said that he has evidence that Meta has profited significantly from these ads.
He insisted that the fine be paid and that the money be returned to affected citizens, declaring, “The time for simply requesting improvements has passed; now is the time for penalties.”
This latest action comes amid broader scrutiny of Meta following a US order to pay $18 billion for claims regarding its addictive platform design targeted at children.
Meta told Reuters it is dedicated to fighting fraud on its platforms, noting that scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics. To combat this, the company invests in technology and partnerships with industry and law enforcement.
Gawkowski plans to persuade European leaders at the G20 summit to jointly condemn Meta’s practices, arguing for a united approach to curb their actions.
Brzoska says €250 million fine is not enough
The proposed €250 million fine for Meta, suggested by Minister Gawkowski, is too low to deter the platform from sharing false content, according to InPost CEO Rafał Brzoska.
In 2024, Brzoska sued Meta over fake advertisements on Facebook and Instagram that misused his image and spread false information about his wife. The Warsaw appellate court ruled in April that Meta is liable for the ads on its platforms, although the company claimed it is not responsible for user-generated fraudulent content.
In response, Brzoska launched the “150% Initiative” to collect evidence against misleading advertisements on social media. He stated, “I hope this fine reaches €250 million for each EU country since only multi-billion euro fines will compel Meta to act. Their lobbying likely costs more than €250 million annually. This should be just the beginning of a more effective system.”
The CEO of InPost highlighted that the best way to address fake content on social media is through the 150% initiative. This initiative features a website for users to report false advertisements that violate personal rights. It includes an AI tool called ScamWatch, which detects and documents these violations. Additionally, it proposes fines equal to 150% of revenue from such content for those profiting from scams.
“If Meta earns 20 million zlotys daily and has to pay that plus 150% to the Polish budget, it would be a strong deterrent against scamming,” said Brzoska.
