German Court Holds Meta Responsible for Third-party Fake Ads

07:59 AM EDT, 09/17/2026 (MT Newswires) -- A German court on Thursday ruled that Meta Platforms (FB2A.F) is responsible for fake advertisements posted on its social media platforms by third parties, ordering the US technology giant to remove the ads and pay damages. The Frankfurt am Main Regional Court's ruling followed a lawsuit by a German financial portal and its founder, whose company branding and the founder's name and image were used without authorization in investment-related advertisements. The court also ordered Meta to disclose details of such advertisements posted on Instagram or Facebook and the revenue produced through them, noting that the ruling is not final and Meta can file an appeal against the order at the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt. "We respectfully disagree with this decision and are considering next steps," a Meta spokesperson said when reached by MT Newswires, adding "...we have taken significant action in this case - including proactive detection measures and removal of reported content."