Poland Seeks €250 Million EU Fine Against Meta Over Scam Ads

Polish Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski asked the European Commission to levy the fine, arguing that Meta’s response to scam advertising has remained insufficient despite repeated notifications from Polish authorities and cybersecurity specialists, according to Reuters.

The request adds to regulatory and legal pressure facing Meta over how it polices content and protects users across Facebook and Instagram. Poland’s complaint centers on advertisements that authorities classified as fraudulent and the company’s handling of reports seeking their removal.

In a letter to the European Commission, Gawkowski cited testing by CERT Polska, Poland’s national cybersecurity incident-response team. The organization identified 122 advertisements it considered fraudulent, Reuters reported. Meta declined to remove 106 of those ads, representing 86.8% of the reports, according to figures provided by the minister. Ten were taken down and six reports received no response.

Gawkowski said Meta’s response showed that stronger enforcement was necessary and called for tools capable of more effectively identifying and eliminating scams, misleading advertisements and promotions for illegal applications, according to Reuters.

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The proposed €250 million penalty would mark a significant escalation in Poland’s effort to hold the technology company accountable for advertising distributed through its platforms. Gawkowski has argued that the size of Meta’s business and the harm allegedly suffered by Polish users warrant a financial sanction large enough to have a deterrent effect, Reuters reported.

Meta has said it is investing in technology and partnerships with industry groups and law-enforcement agencies to combat increasingly sophisticated online fraud, according to Reuters. The company has characterized scammers as persistent operators whose methods continue to evolve.

The dispute also follows litigation in Poland involving billionaire Rafal Brzoska, who sued Meta in 2024 after fraudulent advertisements on Facebook and Instagram allegedly used his image and circulated false claims concerning his wife, according to Reuters. A Warsaw appeals court ruled in April 2026 that Meta could be held responsible for advertisements hosted on its platforms. Meta had argued that it should not bear responsibility for fraudulent conduct by its users.

Poland’s push comes as Meta faces broader scrutiny over the operation and safety of its social networks. Reuters reported that the company has also faced allegations in the US concerning the effects of its products on children.

Gawkowski is seeking to turn the Polish dispute into a broader European issue. He said he plans to urge European leaders at the upcoming Group of 20 summit to take a coordinated position on Meta’s practices, according to Reuters.

The decision on whether to pursue the requested penalty rests with European authorities. Poland’s intervention nevertheless raises the stakes for Meta as governments increasingly focus on whether large online platforms are doing enough to prevent fraudulent advertising from reaching consumers.

Source: Reuters