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Thailand to Sue Meta Over Facebook Scam Ads in Consumer Protection Push

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Thailand’s consumer watchdog is preparing legal action against Meta, alleging that Facebook has failed to adequately prevent scammers from using the platform to defraud users through fraudulent advertisements and fake online schemes.

According to the Consumer Council of Thailand, thousands of complaints linked to Facebook have been recorded over the past two years, ranging from undelivered online purchases and fake investment opportunities to identity impersonation and deceptive pages designed to mislead consumers. The regulator argues that repeated efforts to engage with Meta and request the removal of fraudulent advertisements have not produced sufficient action.

The planned lawsuit reflects a broader global trend in which governments are increasingly holding digital platforms accountable not only for hosting illegal content, but also for the real-world financial harm that can result from algorithm-driven advertising ecosystems.

Consumer advocates argue that social media companies possess sophisticated targeting and moderation technologies and therefore should bear greater responsibility when scam campaigns repeatedly reach large audiences. Meta, meanwhile, has consistently stated that it invests heavily in fraud detection systems and works with regulators and law enforcement agencies to combat online abuse.

With roughly 51 million Facebook users in Thailand, the case could have significant implications for platform governance in Southeast Asia. A successful lawsuit may encourage regulators in other jurisdictions to pursue similar legal strategies aimed at strengthening consumer protections and forcing stricter oversight of online advertising systems.

The dispute also highlights the evolving legal landscape facing major technology companies. Beyond traditional content moderation debates, courts and regulators are increasingly examining whether platforms have a broader duty of care to actively prevent financial fraud facilitated through their services.

If the case proceeds, it could become another important test of how far governments can require social media platforms to assume responsibility for user safety in the digital economy.

Report Claims Meta Earned $16 Billion in 2024 from Fraudulent Ads on Facebook and Instagram

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Meta Reportedly Made Billions from Fraudulent Ads Across Facebook and Instagram in 2024

A new report has alleged that Meta Platforms — the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — earned a significant portion of its 2024 revenue from fraudulent and prohibited advertisements. According to internal projections, about 10.1 percent of Meta’s total revenue for the year reportedly came from ads linked to scams and banned goods. The findings suggest that certain internal practices and oversight failures allowed these fraudulent ads to remain active on its platforms, despite clear violations of company policy and advertising regulations.

Citing internal company documents, Reuters reported that Meta failed to effectively detect or block deceptive advertising for a range of illegal or misleading products and services. These included fake e-commerce listings, fraudulent investment schemes, unlicensed online casinos, and even banned medical products. The issue reportedly persisted for at least three years across Meta’s major apps — Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — raising concerns about the company’s ad moderation and accountability practices.

The internal projections also claimed that around $16 billion (approximately ₹1.41 lakh crore) of Meta’s total 2024 revenue stemmed from these fraudulent ad sources. The report further alleged that Meta was hesitant to remove or suspend accounts, even those identified internally as “the scammiest scammers.” Executives reportedly feared that taking strict action against these advertisers would lead to a noticeable decline in ad revenue, which could in turn impact the company’s heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI) development and infrastructure.

These revelations have sparked fresh debate about Meta’s commitment to user safety and transparency in digital advertising. Critics argue that prioritizing profits over consumer protection undermines trust in its platforms, especially as users increasingly encounter scams disguised as legitimate promotions. While Meta has yet to issue a detailed public response to these allegations, the report adds pressure on the company to tighten its ad screening processes and demonstrate stronger ethical oversight in its rapidly expanding AI-driven advertising ecosystem.

Meta partners with Arm to boost AI recommendations across Facebook and Instagram

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Meta Platforms announced a new partnership with chip technology firm Arm Holdings to power the AI systems behind its personalization and recommendation engines across Facebook and Instagram. The collaboration marks another milestone for Arm as it pushes deeper into data center and AI computing — areas long dominated by Intel and AMD’s x86 architecture.

Meta will deploy Arm-based data center platforms to run the ranking and recommendation algorithms that determine what users see on its apps. Both companies said the shift will deliver higher performance and improved energy efficiency compared to traditional x86 systems.

Arm, backed by Japan’s SoftBank, provides the chip designs that serve as blueprints for central processing units (CPUs) used in billions of devices worldwide. While its technology already dominates smartphones, it is rapidly expanding into server and personal computer markets.

As part of the announcement, Meta revealed a $1.5 billion investment in a new Texas data center, its 29th facility globally, to support AI infrastructure growth. The two companies also said they have optimized Meta’s AI software for Arm chips and made the improvements open source, allowing developers to freely use and build upon them — a move expected to speed up Arm’s adoption in cloud computing.

Meta and Arm plan to continue refining their joint open-source projects to make AI workloads more efficient and accessible across the industry.