ANOTHER BAN COMING? FG sues owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

Most Nigerians may have not gotten over their bad experiences and losses when president Muhammadu Buhari ban microblogging site, Twitter in 2021.

The Nigerian government is really shifting attention to social media companies for various reasons with the latest being a litigation against Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

The federal government through the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) sued Meta Platforms Incorporated, owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as Meta’s agent, AT3 Resources Limited over unapproved advertisements shown to the Nigerian audience, in the suit filed before the federal high court in Abuja.

The regulatory body is seeking a declaration “that the continued publication and exposure of various advertisements directed at the Nigerian market through Facebook and Instagram platforms by Meta Platforms Incorporated without ensuring same is vetted and approved before exposure is illegal, unlawful and a violation of the extant advertising Law in Nigeria”.

“ARCON is seeking N30b in sanction for the violation of the advertising laws and for loss of revenue as a result of Meta Incorporated’s continued exposure of unapproved adverts on its platforms,” the statement reads.

“ARCON reiterates that it would not permit unethical and irresponsible advertising on Nigeria’s advertising space.

“ARCON further states that it is not regulating the online media space but rather advertising and marketing communications on the online platforms in line with its establishment Act.”