Five defendants added in action by Janet Jackson's separated husband against Facebook
The High Court has ordered five new defendants be joined with Facebook in a billionaire's action over alleged fake advertisements that have appeared on the social media platform.
Wissam Al Mana, a UK-based Qatari national who married but is now separated from pop singer Janet Jackson, has sued over adverts he says are wrongly and maliciously using his name and image.
His proceedings were against Facebook Ireland, which has its European headquarters here. As part of the action, he sought a court order that Facebook reveal the identities of the users involved.
Facebook consented to that order but Gavin Woods, solicitor for the company, told the court today that while their position in relation to the order seeking the identity of the users was neutral "we are obviously denying the allegations."
Paul O'Higgins SC, for Mr Al Mana, earlier told the court he was now seeking to join those whose identities they have obtained as defendants with Facebook.
The five are all named "John Doe" (numbers one to five) and attached to the names are internet identities which Mr O'HIggins said may or may not be real people.
Mr O'Higgins said the order was necessary because his side says the five are concurrent wrongdoers.
Ms Justice Eileen Creedon granted orders joining the five and allowing service of court papers on them including by means of by text message or other means.
In his action, Mr Al Mana says on several occasions since May 2019 the ads have been published by persons unknown to him using the Facebook Ads Tool.
They contain a fake news article which he claims wrongly links him to a cryptocurrency auto-trading program called Bitcoin trader. He says he has nothing to do with the programme.
While the ads were removed following complaints made by Mr Al Mana's representatives he is concerned about the publication of future fake ads containing his name and image.
As a result of the publication of the adverts Mr Al Mana sought to sue for defamation and malicious falsehood.
Mr Al Mana married Janet Jackson in 2012, but the pair separated in 2017.
