Tokyo, Nov. 10 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against U.S. social media giant Meta Platforms Inc. and its Japanese unit over fake ads that used a Japanese entrepreneur's name and likeness without permission.
Presiding Judge Naoyuki Iwai dismissed both entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa's request for an injunction and his claim for damages.
While finding that the ads infringed Maezawa's publicity rights, which protect the commercial value of celebrities, Iwai said that Meta "is merely a platform operator and is not directly involved in the posts."
The judge concluded that there was no risk of the fake ads being left unaddressed, given the corrective measures taken by the company, and that there was no need for an injunction.
The ruling is believed to be the first judicial decision on whether fake ads impersonating celebrities infringe their rights.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]