Facebook’s owner Meta has “unreservedly and sincerely” apologised to UK-based Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana over the publication of “fake ads” on the social media platform by third parties using his name and image.
The apology forms part of the settlement of the businessman’s legal action against Meta over the adverts before the Irish courts.
The adverts, he claimed, were published by people unknown to him using the Facebook Ads Tool.
The adverts first appeared in 2019 but were later removed from the platform.
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On Friday Mr Al Mana’s counsel Paul O’Higgins SC, appearing with Anna Shanley BL told Mr Justice Mark Sanfey that the matter had settled and could be struck out.
As part of the settlement Paul Gardiner SC, appearing with Tom Murphy BL, instructed by Arthur Cox solicitors, for Meta, read a statement on behalf of his client to the court.
“Wissam Al Mana is a successful Qatari businessman with an international reputation. Throughout 2019 several false misleading and defamatory advertisements were published on Facebook by malicious third parties featuring the image of Mr Wissam Al Mana, without his knowledge or consent.”
The statement added that the advertisements contained “fabricated statements” which “Meta Platforms Ireland Limited understands caused serious harm to Mr Al Mana’s personal and professional reputation,” and had caused him to suffer distress, upset and embarrassment.
“Mr Al Mana therefore issued proceedings against Meta in Dublin in February 2020″ the statement continued.
“Meta accepts and regrets that the publication of these fake advertisements by malicious third parties has caused Mr Al Mana reputational harm, distress, and embarrassment. Meta apologises sincerely and unreservedly for this”.
“Mr Al Mana is satisfied that the publication of fake advertisements using his name and image appears to have ceased. As a result of the plaintiff bringing the proceedings Meta has undertaken to him that it will use robust measures to tackle such advertisements in the future.”
“Meta acknowledges that Mr Al Mana has confirmed to them that he has never allowed and has no intention of ever allowing his name and image to be used in any such advertisement” the statement concluded.
No further details of the settlement, which was welcomed by the Mr Justice Sanfey, were given in open court.
Mr Al Mana is the executive director of the Al Mana Group, which consists of over 50 companies involved in sectors including property, technology, media, entertainment, retail and the motor industry and employs over 3,000 people.
He married the pop star Janet Jackson, the sister of the late Michael Jackson, in 2012, but the pair separated in 2017.
In his action he had claimed that the adverts contained a fake news article, using sensational headings and featuring his name and image, which wrongly links him to a cryptocurrency auto-trading program called Bitcoin trader, which he has nothing to do with.
While the ads were removed, he remained concerned about the publication of future fake ads containing his name and image.
As a result, he sued both Facebook Ireland Ltd, which is now known as Meta Platforms Ireland, and the parties behind the adverts for defamation and malicious falsehood.
As part of those proceedings, he sought orders requiring Meta to disclose to him details and information it had about the people who had placed the adverts.
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