Andrew Forrest Takes Legal Action Against Meta Over Unauthorized Crypto Ads
A legal battle is unfolding between mining mogul Andrew Forrest and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, over crypto ads that featured Forrest without his permission three years ago. Forrest claims that Meta did not do enough to remove the ads, which used his likeness as a promotional gimmick. He has requested their removal since 2019, along with other Australians who were featured in the ads. Forrest and his lawyers believe that Meta’s failure to address this issue goes beyond a civil matter and warrants criminal charges.
To respond to the charges, Meta has issued a summons to Forrest, demanding the handover of documents for their lawyers to review. These documents reportedly contain sensitive data and records, including personal emails written by Forrest and communications related to financing the cross-border lawsuit against Meta.
Meta Faces Increasing FUD Amid Legal Troubles
As Meta aims to expand in AI and the Metaverse, it faces ongoing legal troubles. The Metaverse has been criticized for hosting a non-taxable shadow economy. Additionally, Meta recently faced a separate lawsuit for copyright infringement. The authors Sarah Silverman, Richard Kadrey, and Christopher Golden accused Meta of illegitimately using their work to train an AI tool called LLaMA. Such lawsuits are expected to continue as Meta continues its AI development.
Hot Take: Meta’s Legal Woes Threaten Its Expansion Plans
The legal challenges faced by Meta, including the unauthorized crypto ads featuring Andrew Forrest and the copyright infringement lawsuit, pose significant risks to the company’s expansion plans. These incidents raise concerns about Meta’s handling of intellectual property rights and its commitment to addressing legal issues promptly. As Meta aggressively pursues growth in AI and the Metaverse, it must prioritize compliance with laws and regulations to maintain its reputation and avoid further legal entanglements that could hinder its progress.