Broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan has received an unreserved apology from Facebook.
It is part of the settlement of her High Court action over several defamatory and untrue adverts that were posted on the social media platform.
Included in the settlement agreement, Meta Platforms Ireland, formerly known as Facebook Ireland, has agreed to establish a scam ad reporting tool.
This will allow Irish users to submit reports on misleading adverts to a specialist team within Facebook for review.
Speaking after the settlement the broadcaster said it was “a good day” following a five-year battle over the misleading ads which she said had caused her distress and had damaged her reputation.
Ms O’Callaghan also expressed her delight that Facebook is to introduce the scam ads reporting tool.
In proceedings launched against Facebook Ireland three years ago Ms O’Callaghan claimed she was defamed in a series of false and malicious adverts containing her image and name on Facebook and Instagram in May 2018.
As part of the settlement, Facebook’s counsel Joe Jeffers BL read an agreed statement to the court.
He said the statement acknowledged the proceedings over the publication of misleading adverts published on Facebook by “malicious third parties” had been resolved.
Mr Jeffers continued: “These adverts contained fabricated statements, which have been extremely damaging to Ms O’Callaghan.
“Meta Platforms Ireland accepts and regrets that the publication of these ads has caused Ms O’Callaghan distress and embarrassment and regrets any wider concerns and distress caused by the ads.
“Meta Platforms Ireland apologises unreservedly to Ms O’Callaghan.”
The statement added that the broadcaster is satisfied the publication of the fake adverts, using her name and image, appears to have ceased.
And it stated that as a result of the action “Meta Platforms Ireland has undertaken to the broadcaster that it will use robust measures to tackle such advertisements in the future and will offer the ability within Ireland to report scam ads via an additional scam ad reporting tool”.
Previously the High Court heard the adverts at the centre of the action contained various misleading and defamatory headlines wrongly suggesting Ms O’Callaghan had left her job with RTE’s Prime Time.
Ms O’Callaghan said she had “nothing to do” with the adverts, which were linked to offers for skincare products.
She claimed she was most distressed at being associated against her will with what has been described as “a scam product”, the court heard.
And she said the adverts had exploited the trust placed in her by the Irish public and damaged her good name and reputation.
The paid-for ads, known as “targeted advertisements”, appear on social media users’ newsfeeds, and are designed to encourage the user to click on the links.
It was also claimed users who availed of an offer of free trials of the skincare products have reportedly had money debited from their bank accounts which they did not authorise.
Ms O’Callaghan sought a permanent injunction restraining the publication of the adverts, as well as damages for malicious falsehood, unlawful appropriation of personality, various breaches of her constitutional rights and defamation.
Outside of court her solicitor Paul Tweed said his client welcomed the successful resolution of the broadcaster’s proceedings.
The settlement he said had achieved his client’s objectives of terminating the fake ads, vindicating Ms O’Callaghan’s reputation, and had brought about something that will afford Irish Facebook users more protection.
