Rhode Island sues Meta, alleging the company profits from scam advertisements and helps create some of them. Attorney General Peter Neronha files the complaint in Providence County Superior Court, contending Meta violates the state’s consumer protection laws while marketing its services as keeping users safe. The lawsuit focuses on ads appearing across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Outlets summarise the action as a significant escalation in state-level scrutiny of platform advertising practices. Engadget highlights that it is the first state lawsuit brought on these allegations, while The Next Web focuses on the filing details and the claim that Meta both tolerates and allegedly participates in scam activity. Business of Fashion adds more numerical detail from the complaint, describing how many “higher risk” scam ads Meta is said to show daily and the share of 2024 revenue tied to fraudulent or prohibited categories.
