Full Breakdown
Poland Seeks €250 Million EU Fine on Meta Over Fraudulent Ads
8/27/2026, 9:34:46 PM
Core Request and Immediate Context
He posted the request on X and shared a letter addressed to European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen. Gawkowski argued that Meta’s “wild West” approach must end and called for tools to eliminate scams, false advertising, and illegal applications.
Background & Context
The demand follows disputes in Poland over unauthorized use of public figures’ likenesses in scam ads. In 2024, billionaire Rafal Brzoska, founder of InPost, sued Meta for fake ads that used his image and false claims about his wife. A deep-fake video impersonating President Karol Nawrocki promoting a fraudulent investment scheme also circulated on Facebook, renewing concerns about deceptive content.
Gawkowski published part of his letter on August 26 2026, outlining the alleged violations. Earlier, Poland’s digital affairs ministry sent Meta nine written questions covering the scale of scam advertising, detection of deepfakes, advertiser verification, and removal timelines, indicating a follow-up letter to the Commission would be filed if answers were unsatisfactory, invoking the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
Data & Statistics
- CERT Polska identified 122 advertisements classified as fraudulent; Meta reportedly declined to remove 106 of them (86.8 %). Only 10 ads were removed and six cases received no response.
- Meta said it removed around 137,000 ads originating in Poland between July 2025 and June 2026, with more than 88 % taken down before user reports, and removed 380,000 pieces of content overall in the same period.
- The fine request equals roughly 1.1 billion zloty.
Official Statements & Responses
The company highlighted ongoing investments in technology and partnerships to detect and remove scams.
Criticism & Opposition
He also described Meta’s suspension of Brzoska’s Instagram account after the billionaire’s public complaints as “censorship in its darkest form”.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The ministry’s data (122 reported ads, 106 not removed) contrasts with Meta’s claim of removing 137,000 ads, suggesting a discrepancy between reported fraudulent ads and Meta’s broader removal statistics.
- Meta’s estimate that 10 % of its 2024 sales (? €16 billion) derived from advertising scams was described by Reuters as “rough and overly inclusive,” and Meta has not provided an updated figure, leaving the actual financial impact unclear.
Verbatim Quote
- “The time has passed for us to say ‘improve yourselves’, they say ‘we are improving’, but citizens still don’t feel it. Now the time has come for penalties,” — Krzysztof Gawkowski, minister
Why It Matters
The request tests the EU’s enforcement of the Digital Services Act, which allows fines up to 6 % of a platform’s global turnover. A €250 million sanction would be modest compared with potential billions-level penalties but signals heightened regulatory scrutiny of platform-mediated advertising fraud across the single market.
What’s Next
The European Commission must decide whether to open formal DSA proceedings based on Poland’s complaint. If proceedings commence, the Commission will assess Meta’s compliance with EU advertising rules and determine an appropriate penalty.
