Femi Falana Drags Meta To Court Over Fake Health Claims

Femi Falana Drags Meta To Court Over Fake Health Claims

Prominent human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has initiated a $5 million legal action against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, over alleged privacy violations.

According to Ireporteronline reports, the lawsuit, filed at the Lagos High Court, claims that Meta falsely linked Falana to a deceptive health advertisement, violating his privacy rights.……READ MORE 

Falana alleges that Meta, under the leadership of Mark Zuckerberg, published a misleading video via the “AfriCare Health Center” Facebook page. The video falsely stated that Falana had been battling prostatitis for over 16 years, using his name, image, and supposed voice without consent.

The publication, according to Falana, infringes on his constitutional right to privacy as outlined in Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and violates the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

Represented by his counsel, Olumide Babalola, Falana seeks a court declaration confirming the invasion of his privacy and an immediate order compelling Meta to remove the false content.

Falana insists he has never suffered from prostatitis and never made the statements attributed to him in the video. He describes the publication as false, defamatory, and a reckless exploitation of his identity for Meta’s commercial gain.

The viral video, widely circulated online, caused Falana significant emotional distress, damaging his reputation and subjecting him to public ridicule.

Beyond the $5 million in damages, Falana is urging the court to prevent Meta from publishing any false or misleading content about him or others without proper verification.

He stated:
“This false publication has not only painted me in a misleading light but has also caused me emotional turmoil. My health status is a private matter and should not be exploited for commercial purposes.”

The lawsuit emphasizes the need for accountability from global tech platforms concerning personal data and privacy rights, especially when such false claims can damage reputations.