Australia has launched legal action against Facebook’s parent company Meta, alleging it allowed scam ads to target users with fake celebrity endorsements.
The tech giant had engaged in “false, misleading or deceptive conduct” by knowingly hosting the ads for bogus cryptocurrencies, a regulator said.
The US company could face financial and other penalties.
Meta is yet to comment but has previously said it is committed to keeping scammers off its platforms.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says the ads in question used Facebook’s algorithms to target susceptible users and featured bogus quotes by Australian celebrities.
Identities used without permission included former New South Wales Premier Mike Baird, prominent TV host David Koch and millionaire entrepreneur Dick Smith.
