22:50 - 17.09.2026

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September 17, Fineko/abc.az. A Frankfurt Regional Court in Germany has ruled that Meta Platforms is legally liable for fraudulent third-party investment advertisements published on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. The court ordered the U.S. tech giant to remove the deceptive content, cease its further distribution, and pay damages to the affected party.

The lawsuit was brought by German personal finance platform Finanzfluss and its co-founder Thomas Kehl, whose trademarked logo and likeness were used without authorization in fraudulent investment schemes. While Meta argued protection under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) host liability shield, the court rejected the defense.

Judges determined that Meta’s monetization practices and ranking algorithms actively decide how and when ads are displayed, making it an active participant rather than a passive hosting provider.