MEP Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) has asked the European Commission whether it is aware of findings that Meta continues to profit from fraudulent advertisements, including scams impersonating public figures and unapproved health ads, and whether it will launch a formal investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The written question, submitted on 8 July 2026, cites investigations by VRT's Pano and AI Forensics revealing that over 46,000 health-related ads featuring deepfakes and false claims were viewed 292 million times by EU users since the DSA took effect. Internal Meta documents reportedly estimate scam ads generate around 10% of the company's annual revenue, far exceeding likely fines for non-compliance.
The question follows a formal complaint filed on 21 May 2026 by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and 29 member organisations, accusing Meta of systematically failing to remove fraudulent financial advertisements. Van Brempt also highlights that victims often lack recourse because national police lack resources to investigate cases involving sums under €5,000 or when servers are hosted outside the EU. She asks the Commission how it will ensure effective follow-up and redress for victims.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. The answer will signal whether the EU executive considers Meta's practices a systemic violation of the DSA and whether it will escalate enforcement. The issue pits consumer protection against Meta's business model, with potential major impact on EU consumers exposed to scams and on Meta's advertising revenue if stricter DSA enforcement forces changes.