By Ghazali Ibrahim
A Lagos State High Court delivered a landmark judgment in favour of human rights lawyer Femi Falana, awarding him $25,000 in damages against Meta Platforms Inc. over a privacy violation linked to false content published on Facebook.
The case stemmed from a video circulated on the platform in 2025, which falsely portrayed Falana as suffering from a serious medical condition.
The senior advocate argued that the publication was inaccurate, misleading, and constituted a violation of his constitutional right to privacy.
In its ruling, the court held that Meta breached provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act by processing personal data that was “inaccurate, harmful, and unfair.” The judge further declared that the dissemination of false health information amounted to unlawful handling of sensitive personal data.
A key turning point in the case was the court’s rejection of Meta’s defence that it merely acted as an intermediary or hosting platform. Instead, the court ruled that because the company monetises content and controls its distribution through algorithms, it bears responsibility for harmful material published on its platform.
The court also emphasised that being a public figure does not strip an individual of privacy rights, especially regarding sensitive information such as health status. It held that the false publication intruded into Falana’s private life and caused reputational and emotional harm.
Falana had initially sought $5 million in damages, but the court awarded $25,000, while also making broader pronouncements on the duty of care owed by global tech companies operating in Nigeria.
Legal experts say the ruling marks a significant development in Nigerian jurisprudence, as it establishes that social media platforms can be held accountable for privacy breaches and misinformation published on their platforms.
The judgment is expected to influence future cases involving data protection and platform responsibility, particularly as concerns grow over the spread of false and harmful content online.
