Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, alleging privacy invasion. The lawsuit, submitted to the Lagos State High Court on February 3, 2025, claims Meta wrongfully used Falana's name, image, and voice in a deceptive advertisement for a health product on its platform.
Falana contends that this unauthorized use of his identity violates his fundamental right to privacy, as stipulated under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Falana alleges that Meta published misleading content under the page "AfriCare Health Centre" on Facebook, falsely asserting that he had suffered from prostatitis for over 16 years, experiencing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and urinary issues. Falana stated he has never had dealings with Meta or its pages concerning his health and insists the video is false and misleading.
Falana seeks a declaration that Meta's actions infringed upon his privacy rights, demanding the immediate removal of the false video and $5 million in damages for the distress and reputational harm incurred.
He argues that Meta's failure to verify the claims before publication exposed him to ridicule and emotional distress and that the false publicity was driven by Meta's desire to boost engagement and ad revenue. The court has not yet set a hearing date for the case.
