Poland demands Meta pay €250 million fine over scam ads

Poland is demanding a substantial €250 million fine from Meta, accusing the social media giant of failing to effectively combat fraudulent advertisements on its platforms.

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Despite repeated reports from the relevant Polish authorities and teams responsible for cybersecurity, Meta still does not provide an effective and adequate response to fraudulent advertisements.

Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that despite repeated reports from Polish cybersecurity teams, Meta has not provided an adequate response. He posted on X that tests conducted by CERT Polska, the national cybersecurity incident response team, identified 122 fraudulent advertisements. In a significant majority of these cases (86.8%), Meta decided not to remove the ads, with only 10 being taken down and six receiving no response.

"I also call on Meta to immediately introduce effective tools to eliminate scams, false advertising, and the promotion of illegal applications," Gawkowski urged. This action follows previous criticism of Meta, including allegations that its products are harmful to children and that the company misled the public about their safety. In Poland, the platform has faced specific criticism for its handling of fraudulent ads.

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In 106 cases, or 86.8% of reports, Meta concluded the case with a decision not to remove the advertisement. Only 10 ads were removed, and in 6 cases no response was provided.

Adding to the pressure, billionaire Rafal Brzoska has sued Meta over fake advertisements. In April 2026, the Warsaw appellate court ruled that Meta is responsible for the advertisements hosted on its platforms. Meta has previously argued in court that it is not liable for the fraudulent actions of its users.

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I also call on Meta to immediately introduce effective tools to eliminate scams, false advertising, and the promotion of illegal applications.