Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, for allegedly invading his privacy. The suit, filed in a Lagos High Court, accuses Meta of falsely associating Falana with a misleading health advertisement.
The lawsuit claims that a video published on Facebook under the name "AfriCare Health Center" falsely stated that Falana had been battling prostatitis for over 16 years. Falana argues that this publication, which included his name, image, and purported voice, violated his right to privacy under the Nigerian Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
Falana's legal counsel, Olumide Babalola, is seeking a court declaration that Meta's publication constitutes an invasion of privacy. He is also requesting an order compelling Meta to remove the misleading video from its platform.
The lawsuit emphasizes that Falana has never suffered from prostatitis and that the misleading publication has caused him significant emotional distress and reputational damage. Falana argues that Meta's failure to verify the authenticity of the information before publication demonstrates recklessness and negligence.
Falana insists he never made the statement attributed to him in the video and has no connection to the AfriCare Health Center. He described the publication as false, misleading, and defamatory, adding that it was aimed at driving traffic to Meta's platform for commercial gain.
In addition to the $5 million in damages, Falana is urging the court to issue an order preventing Meta from publishing false and misleading content about him or any other individual without proper verification.
This lawsuit highlights the growing concern over the misuse of personal information and the need for social media platforms to take responsibility for the content they publish. It remains to be seen how the court will rule on Falana's claims, but the case has already sparked a debate about the limits of online privacy and the accountability of social media giants.