Poland is asking European regulators to consider a €250 million penalty against Meta, arguing that the company has not done enough to stop fraudulent advertisements from appearing on its platforms. The request follows repeated complaints from Polish officials and cybersecurity specialists, who say reported scam content has not always received an effective response. The move adds to the growing scrutiny faced by major social media companies over the safety of advertising on their services.
Poland’s Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said the government had asked the European Commission to intervene after national authorities repeatedly raised concerns about scam advertising. In his view, Meta’s current systems have not offered sufficient protection for users. He is pressing the company to strengthen its safeguards and deal with reported fraudulent promotions more quickly.
Evidence cited by Polish officials comes from testing carried out by CERT Polska, the country’s cybersecurity incident response team. Investigators identified 122 advertisements that they classified as fraudulent. The subsequent handling of those cases became a central part of Poland’s complaint, with officials questioning whether Meta’s systems are sufficiently effective at dealing with reported scams.
Gawkowski said Meta declined to remove 106 of the 122 advertisements examined, equal to about 86.8% of the cases. Ten ads were removed, while six reportedly received no response. For Polish officials, the figures point to what they describe as a major gap between the reporting of fraudulent material and meaningful enforcement. They believe additional measures are needed to identify suspicious campaigns and stop them before users are exposed to them.
The minister is also urging Meta to develop better tools for blocking scams, deceptive advertising and promotions for unlawful applications. His concerns come amid the rapid growth of online fraud, where criminals can use social networks to advertise fake investment schemes, bogus products and services, or other offers designed to trick potential victims.
The danger for users can be significant because scam advertisements are often designed to look genuine. Someone following a convincing promotion could be sent to a fraudulent website and lose money or hand over sensitive information. Such risks have encouraged regulators and cybersecurity bodies to demand stronger advertising checks and faster action when questionable campaigns are reported.
The latest dispute is not Meta’s only challenge involving content on its platforms. The company has faced criticism over how it manages harmful material and has become involved in legal disputes concerning advertisements. In Poland, businessman Rafal Brzoska sued Meta after fraudulent promotions allegedly used his name and image without authorization.
In April 2026, a Warsaw appellate court found that Meta could be held responsible for ads appearing on its platforms. The ruling is important because Meta has maintained that fraudulent acts committed by individual users should not automatically make the company liable. The case has therefore contributed to a broader discussion about where responsibility for online advertising should fall.
Meta had not immediately provided a response to a Reuters request for comment on Poland’s demand for the €250 million fine. The European Commission will now assess the concerns raised by the Polish government and decide whether the allegations justify additional regulatory steps.
The dispute shows how expectations are changing for major technology companies as online fraud becomes harder to detect. Any regulatory action by European authorities could reinforce the idea that digital platforms must do more to protect people from deceptive advertising. For users, stronger enforcement and better screening could mean fewer opportunities for scammers to reach potential victims through widely used social networks.
