The Thai government has threatened to ban Facebook in the country unless the platform stops allowing fraudulent crypto investment ads that have affected more than 200,000 people.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has given Facebook until the end of the month to comply with its demands or face legal action.
Crypto scam ads rampant on Facebook
According to a statement published on the Ministry’s website, Facebook has hosted thousands of ads promoting crypto scams, fake businesses, and impersonated government agencies.
These ads have lured unsuspecting victims with promises of high and guaranteed returns, using images of celebrities and well-known financial figures.
The Ministry said that it has repeatedly requested Facebook to remove these ads, but the platform has failed to do so.
The statement also noted that Facebook has gradually eased its restrictions on cryptocurrency and blockchain-related advertisements over the course of three years, allowing more scammers to exploit its users.
Ministry seeks court order to shut down Facebook
Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, has asked a Thai court to prepare an order to shut down Facebook by the end of the month if the platform does not comply with its demands.
He said that Facebook’s practices pose significant security and privacy risks for the Thai public.
“We are asking the court to close Facebook, not allowing it to provide services in Thailand if they let these fake pages scam people. They can’t do business like this,”
Chaiwut, at a press conference.
Facebook, which recently rebranded itself as Meta, has not yet responded to the Ministry’s ultimatum.
The platform has faced similar challenges in other countries, such as India and Nigeria, where it has been accused of facilitating crypto scams and violating local laws.
