Federal High Court Grants ARCON Permission to Sue Meta Over Breach of Advertising Regulations in Nigeria
ARCON is seeking N30 billion in fines and sanctions for continued violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has granted Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) leave to serve a writ of summons on Meta, the owner of Facebook. The court granted the application by ARCON in a pending N30 billion lawsuit against the social media giant for violating Nigeria’s extant advertising laws.
The writ will be served at the corporate headquarters of Meta, which also owns Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp social media platforms. While Meta is the first defendant in the suit, AT3 Resources Limited is the second defendant.
ARCON is seeking a declaration that publishing various advertisements and marketing communication materials targeted at Nigeria through Meta’s platforms without prior vetting and approval by its advertising standards panel is illegal. The regulatory body also claims that the act disregarded Nigerian culture, constitutional tenets, moral values, and religious sensitivity of citizens.
ARCON is, therefore, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, agents, servants, and associates from publishing any advertising or marketing communications materials without recourse to ARCON in line with the country’s advertising law. The body is also seeking N30 billion in fines and sanctions for continued violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
Source: https://gazettengr.com/fg-sues-facebook-owner-meta-demands-n30-billion/
