Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski has formally asked the European Commission to slap Meta Platforms with a €250 million ($291 million) fine for failing to police fraudulent content and scam advertisements across Facebook and Instagram. The request, sent via letter dated August 26, 2026, alleges that Meta has violated multiple provisions of the Digital Services Act and calls for a full investigation into the company’s content moderation practices.
The core accusation is damning in its simplicity. A 2026 study by CERT Polska, the country’s national cybersecurity response team, tested 122 fraudulent ads that had been flagged to Meta. The company removed just 16 of them, leaving 86.8% of known scam content live on its platforms.
A regulatory patience that finally ran out
Gawkowski’s letter specifically targets violations across six articles of the DSA, the EU’s sweeping content moderation law that took full effect in 2024. The provisions in question relate to risk assessment obligations and content reporting requirements.
The Deputy Prime Minister described the advertising environment on Meta’s platforms as a “Wild West.” Poland’s frustration didn’t materialize overnight. The country has been escalating pressure on Meta for years, driven in part by a high-profile legal battle involving Polish billionaire Rafał Brzoska. Since 2024, Brzoska has pursued litigation against Meta over fake advertisements that misused his likeness to promote scams.
