An Abuja Federal High Court has granted the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the leave to serve on Meta Platform, social media giant and owners of Facebook, writ of summons regarding a suit filed against them before it.
The court gave its nod pursuant to an application by ARCON in a pending N30 billion suit against the global social media giant.
Theliberationnews reliably learnt that the agency filed the N30 billion suit against the owners of the global social media giant after the latter allegedly violated extant advertising laws of Nigeria.
The writ, as granted by the court, is to be served at the United States corporate headquarters of Meta Platform that also owns Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp social media platforms.
Theliberationnews can authoritatively report that Meta Platform is the first defendant in the suit while AT3 Resources Limited is the second defendant.
The ARCON is seeking a declaration that the publication of various advertisements and marketing communications materials targeted at Nigeria through Meta’s platforms without prior vetting and approval by Advertising Standards Panel is illegal.
The advertising regulatory body also pointed out that the act disregarded Nigerian culture, constitutional tenets, moral values and religious sensitivity of citizens.
The 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 ARCON is further seeking the princely sum of N30 billion in fines and sanctions for the continued violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
