Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has taken legal action against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, over what he described as a blatant invasion of his privacy.
Falana filed a $5 million lawsuit at the Lagos State High Court on February 3 and alleged that Meta used his name, image, and voice without consent in a misleading advertisement for a health product.
The advert falsely claimed that he had been battling prostatitis for 16 years—an assertion he denied.
According to court documents, the content, published under the Facebook page “AfriCare Health Centre,” depicted Falana as a sufferer of prostatitis, struggling with pain, fatigue, and urinary issues. He insists he has never had the condition and had no dealings with the page or the individuals behind it.
Falana argues that the unauthorized use of his identity violates his fundamental right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. He claims Meta’s failure to fact-check the claims before publication has subjected him to ridicule, distress, and reputational damage.
In addition to $5 million in general damages, Falana is seeking a court order compelling Meta to immediately take down the false advertisement. He further contends that the misleading publicity was not just an oversight but a deliberate act to drive engagement and ad revenue at his expense.
