Meta apologises to businessman over publication of fake ads
Wissam Al Mana was married to singer Janet Jackson but the couple separated in 2017.
Facebook's owner Meta has "unreservedly and sincerely" apologised to well-known 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 persons unknown to him using the Facebook Ads tool.
The adverts first appeared in 2019 but were later removed from the platform.
Yesterday, Mr Al Mana's counsel Paul O'Higgins, appearing with Anna Shanley, told Mr Justice Mark Sanfey that the matter had settled and could be struck out.
As part of the settlement Paul Gardiner, appearing with Tom Murphy, 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," it said.
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 read.
No further details of the settlement, which was welcomed by Mr Justice Sanfey, were given in open court.
Mr Al Mana is the executive director of the Al Mana Group, which consists of more than 50 companies involved in sectors including property, technology, media, entertainment, retail, and the motor industry, and employs more than 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 linked him to a cryptocurrency auto-trading programme 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, 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 persons who had placed the adverts.
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