Thailand's Consumer Council announced plans in June 2026 to sue Meta Platforms over its Facebook service enabling scammers to use fraudulent adverts that defraud users and failing to protect consumers [1, 2]. The lawsuit aims to raise digital consumer protection standards to international levels, addressing both legal and ethical concerns about Facebook's role, said Saree Ongsomwang, the council's head [1].
Between 2024 and 2026, the Consumer Council recorded 3,793 complaints linked to Facebook scams. These included fake investment schemes, failure to deliver purchased goods, impersonation using victims' names and photos, and misleading fake pages [1, 2]. The council estimates about 51 million Facebook users in Thailand are affected by such scam advertisements on the platform [1, 2].
The council has tried for over a year to contact both Meta's global headquarters and its Thailand office to demand the blocking of fraudulent ads but has received no meaningful response [1, 2]. Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. In previous cases, Meta stated it invests heavily in detecting and removing scam content and cooperates with regulators and law enforcement [1, 2].
Saree Ongsomwang emphasized the case entails not just legal matters but corporate ethics, saying, "The case is based on both legal and ethical concerns about Facebook's role in allowing fraudulent activities to continue" [1]. She added in Chinese, "这起诉讼不仅是法律问题，更涉及企业伦理，目的是要让数位平台的消费者保护标准达到国际水准" [2].
The Consumer Council announced the intention to sue Meta on June 4, 2026, and planned to file the civil lawsuit by June 8, 2026 [1, 2]. The lawsuit represents the council's effort to hold Meta accountable within Thailand’s consumer protection framework.
