Poland Seeks €250 Million EU Fine Against Meta Over Fraudulent Ads
Poland's Digital Affairs Minister requested the European Commission impose a €250 million fine on Meta, alleging the company failed to adequately remove fraudulent advertisements from its platforms. Tests by CERT Polska found 122 fraudulent ads, of which Meta removed only 10 and rejected removal in 106 cases.
What happened
Poland's Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski requested on August 26, 2026 that the European Commission impose a €250 million fine on Meta, stating that despite repeated reports from Polish authorities, Meta failed to adequately remove fraudulent advertisements from its platforms.
CERT Polska conducted tests that identified 122 advertisements classified as fraudulent. In 106 cases (86.8%), Meta concluded not to remove the advertisement; 10 ads were removed, and in 6 cases Meta provided no response.
Reported impact
The minister stated that Meta was prioritizing its own commercial interests over user safety and that victims spent months attempting to have fraudulent advertisements removed from the platforms.
Index analysis
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) filed a complaint in May documenting nearly 900 scam advertisements and fraudulent content across 13 countries, with Meta removing only 27 percent of reported content while rejecting or ignoring more than half of reports.
Governance controls
In a separate April 2026 Warsaw appellate court decision, the court ruled that Meta was responsible for advertisements it hosts on its platforms, rejecting Meta's argument that it is not responsible for fraudulent actions of its users.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.