澳洲檢察官駁回針對 Meta 的加密廣告詐欺案

澳洲檢察官駁回了億萬富翁安德魯·福雷斯特(Andrew Forrest) 對科技巨頭Meta 的訴訟，理由是證據不足，無法證明與利用福雷斯特在Facebook 上的圖像進行欺詐性加密貨幣廣告相關的刑事指控。儘管遭遇挫折，福雷斯特仍繼續採取法律行動，在加州提起新訴訟，並對案件駁回表示失望，他認為這對加密詐欺受害者來說是一個挫折。

Australian Prosecutors Decline Charges Against Meta in Fraudulent Crypto Ad Case

澳洲檢察官拒絕對 Meta 詐欺性加密貨幣廣告案提出指控

In a surprising turn of events, Australian prosecutors have declined to pursue criminal charges against tech giant Meta in a case brought by billionaire Andrew Forrest, who accused the company of enabling fraudulent cryptocurrency advertisements using his image on Facebook. The decision, a major setback for Forrest, stems from a lack of evidence to support the allegations.

令人驚訝的是，澳洲檢察官拒絕在億萬富翁安德魯·福雷斯特(Andrew Forrest) 提起的案件中對科技巨頭Meta 提起刑事指控，後者指控該公司利用他在Facebook 上的圖片發布欺詐性加密貨幣廣告。這項決定對福雷斯特來說是一個重大挫折，因為缺乏證據支持這些指控。

Forrest, the second wealthiest individual in Australia, filed a lawsuit against Meta in February 2022, alleging that the company had allowed scam ads to run unchecked on its platform, exploiting his likeness to promote deceptive crypto schemes targeting Australian users. Armed with the support of Commonwealth Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, Forrest sought to hold Meta criminally responsible for violating Australia's anti-money laundering laws.

澳洲第二富有的人 Forrest 於 2022 年 2 月對 Meta 提起訴訟，指控該公司允許詐騙廣告在其平台上不受限制地運行，利用他的肖像來推廣針對澳洲用戶的欺騙性加密貨幣計劃。在聯邦總檢察長 Michaelia Cash 的支持下，福雷斯特試圖追究 Meta 違反澳洲反洗錢法的刑事責任。

The mining magnate argued that Meta's failure to prevent criminals from misusing his image to perpetrate crypto scams amounted to a breach of its legal obligations. However, Australian prosecutors, after a thorough investigation, have determined that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges against the company.

這位礦業巨頭辯稱，Meta 未能阻止犯罪分子濫用其形象實施加密貨幣詐騙，這違反了其法律義務。然而，澳洲檢察官經過徹底調查後認定，沒有足夠證據對該公司提起刑事指控。

"While we understand the concerns raised by Mr. Forrest, the evidence currently available does not meet the threshold required for a successful prosecution," a spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police (AFP) stated. "We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action if new evidence emerges."

澳洲聯邦警察（法新社）發言人表示：“雖然我們理解福雷斯特先生提出的擔憂，但目前掌握的證據並未達到成功起訴所需的門檻。” “我們將繼續監測事態發展，如果出現新證據，將採取適當行動。”

Disappointment and Determination

失望與決心

Forrest, evidently dismayed by the prosecutors' decision, expressed his profound disappointment, lamenting it as a "tragedy for victims of cryptocurrency fraud." He maintained that Meta had been negligent in its responsibility to protect users from harmful and deceptive content.

福雷斯特顯然對檢察官的決定感到沮喪，他表達了深深的失望，感嘆這是「加密貨幣詐欺受害者的悲劇」。他堅稱 Meta 忽視了保護用戶免受有害和欺騙性內容侵害的責任。

"It is clear that Meta has been turning a blind eye to the rampant fraud on its platform for far too long," Forrest asserted. "This is a systemic problem that has victimized countless Australians and must be addressed."

「很明顯，Meta 長期以來一直對其平台上猖獗的欺詐行為視而不見，」福雷斯特斷言。 “這是一個系統性問題，使無數澳大利亞人受害，必須解決。”

Meta, in response to the allegations, acknowledged the complexities of combating online scams but affirmed its commitment to user safety. The company emphasized its ongoing efforts to detect and remove fraudulent content from its platforms.

Meta 針對這些指控承認打擊網路詐騙的複雜性，但重申其對用戶安全的承諾。該公司強調正在努力檢測並刪除其平台上的詐欺內容。

Ongoing Legal Action

正在進行的法律行動

Undeterred by the setback in Australia, Forrest has initiated a parallel lawsuit against Meta in California, citing similar grounds. Meta has countered by invoking US laws that shield online platforms from liability for actions taken by users or third parties.

福雷斯特並沒有被澳洲的挫折嚇倒，他也以類似的理由在加州對 Meta 提起了並行訴訟。 Meta 對此進行了反擊，援引了美國法律，該法律規定線上平台無需對用戶或第三方的行為承擔責任。

Forrest, however, remains resolute in his pursuit of justice, citing over 1,000 instances of crypto scam advertisements on Facebook between April and November 2023. He intends to press on with the US lawsuit, determined to hold Meta accountable for its alleged complicity in these fraudulent schemes.

然而，Forrest 仍然堅定地追求正義，並列舉了2023 年4 月至11 月期間Facebook 上出現的1,000 多起加密貨幣詐騙廣告實例。他打算繼續在美國提起訴訟，決心追究Meta 對其涉嫌共謀這些欺詐行為的責任。

The Persistence of Crypto Scams

加密詐騙的持續存在

Cryptocurrencies have emerged as a fertile ground for fraud and scams, with unsuspecting individuals losing substantial sums to deceptive schemes. Immunefi, a security firm specializing in blockchain technology, reported that crypto-related fraud and scams resulted in losses of $14.67 million during the first quarter of 2024 alone.

加密貨幣已成為欺詐和騙局的沃土，毫無戒心的個人因欺騙性計劃而損失慘重。專門從事區塊鏈技術的安全公司 Immunefi 報告稱，僅 2024 年第一季度，與加密貨幣相關的詐欺和詐騙就造成了 1,467 萬美元的損失。

These statistics underscore the urgent need for innovative and robust measures to safeguard users from the scourge of crypto scams. Thailand's adoption of peer-to-peer (P2P) channels to combat fraud serves as an example of proactive efforts to protect citizens from financial harm in the digital realm.

這些統計數據強調迫切需要創新和強有力的措施來保護用戶免受加密貨幣詐騙的禍害。泰國採用點對點 (P2P) 管道打擊欺詐，是積極努力保護公民免受數位領域經濟損失的一個例子。

Conclusion

結論

The decline of charges against Meta in Australia's high-profile crypto ad case raises important questions about the responsibilities of online platforms in preventing the proliferation of fraudulent content. While Meta maintains its commitment to user protection, the ongoing challenges posed by crypto scams demand a multifaceted approach involving collaboration between governments, tech companies, and security experts to effectively safeguard users from these persistent threats.

在澳洲備受矚目的加密貨幣廣告案中，對 Meta 的指控被駁回，引發了關於線上平台在防止詐欺內容擴散方面的責任的重要問題。儘管 Meta 始終致力於保護用戶，但加密詐騙帶來的持續挑戰需要多方面的方法，包括政府、科技公司和安全專家之間的合作，以有效保護用戶免受這些持續威脅的侵害。