Human rights attorney Femi Falana (SAN) has initiated a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, alleging a breach of his privacy.
Falana asserts that Meta misused his name, image, and voice in a deceptive advertisement for a health product on its platform, incorrectly depicting him as having prostatitis—a condition he claims he does not have.
In his legal filing at the Lagos State High Court on February 3, 2025, Falana contends that this unauthorized use of his identity violates his fundamental right to privacy as outlined in Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Falana alleges that Meta disseminated false and misleading information on the “AfriCare Health Centre” Facebook page, wrongfully asserting that he had been suffering from prostatitis for over 16 years and had experienced symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and urinary problems.
In court documents, he claimed he had never interacted with the respondent or any of its pages regarding his health and that the content was both false and unfair to him.
Falana seeks a court ruling that Meta’s actions breached his privacy rights, an immediate order for the removal of the misleading video, and $5 million in general damages for the distress and damage to his reputation.
He argues that Meta’s negligence in verifying the claims prior to publication subjected him to ridicule and emotional harm.
Furthermore, he alleged that the purported false advertising was motivated by Meta’s goal to increase engagement and advertising revenues at his expense.
The court has yet to schedule a hearing date.
