• U.S. Judge Casey Pitts approves Andrew Forrest’s lawsuit against Meta.

  • Forrest claims Meta’s software enabled over 1,000 deceptive ads using his identity.

  • The case raises concerns over deepfake technology.

A U.S. judge has ruled that Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest’s lawsuit against Meta, Facebook’s parent company, can proceed. The ruling rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss the case, setting the stage for further legal proceedings.

Forrest’s lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the creation of fraudulent ads by controlling the software that determines their appearance and distribution. Forrest argues this makes Meta responsible for the misuse of his identity, which he claims has harmed his reputation and misled the public.

Meta, however, contends that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects it from liability as a publisher of third-party content. This law typically shields online platforms from being held responsible for user content. Despite this defense, Judge Pitts concluded that Meta had not convincingly proven that Section 230 applies to all of Forrest’s claims. As a result, the lawsuit will proceed, allowing Forrest to attempt to hold Meta accountable.

Forrest claims to have first discovered the misuse of his identity in 2019, with over 1,000 deceptive ads running on Meta’s platform between April and November 2020. These ads featured fake endorsements and videos that falsely appeared from Forrest, leading to financial losses for many victims.

The case highlights ongoing issues with deepfake technology, particularly in the tech and cryptocurrency sectors. Moreover, it is part of a broader trend of legal actions against Meta, further underscoring the growing challenge of combating such fraudulent content online. Polish billionaire Rafal Brzoska and his wife plan to sue Meta over fraudulent advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. 

These ads allegedly use Brzoska’s image and spread false information about his wife. Brzoska has stated they have not yet decided on the jurisdiction for the lawsuit. This action marks another global effort to hold the tech giant accountable for misleading ads, which continue to appear even after users report them.

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