Unveiling the Deceptive Marketing: Alice Weidel's Advertisements Revealed as a Fraudulent Campaign

The Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into effect in February 2024, aims to curb illegal or harmful online activities within the EU. However, a recent incident involving a fake advertisement on Meta platforms like Instagram raises questions about the company's ability to comply with the new regulations.

The advertisement, found on Instagram, lures users with a fake news article about a supposed scandal involving Sahra Wagenknecht and Alice Weidel. Under a false logo, it promotes an alleged investment platform promising quick profits. The case, according to media law expert Victor Meckenstock, is illegal under the DSA as it constitutes defamation.

Despite Meta's internal guidelines prohibiting such fraudulent ads, some manage to bypass the company's automatic detection. This is reminiscent of the Russian doppelgänger campaign, a mechanism known to be used by scammers. The advertisement was active for up to five hours and reached thousands of users before being shut down.

The website's address (URL) is cryptic and has nothing to do with Tagesschau, and the article itself shows old images from the ARD show Maischberger from January 22, 2025. The links to the promoted fake articles are still functional, and many media reports have shown that those who register with the investment platforms advertised on Facebook and Co. fall into the trap of the fraudsters. Some affected people are also put under pressure to transfer more money.

The EU Commission initiated a procedure against Facebook and Instagram in April 2024, criticizing their reporting mechanisms for illegal content and allegedly violated guidelines regarding misleading advertising and political content. Operators of "very large online platforms" (with more than 45 million users in the EU) are particularly held accountable under the DSA.

Meta announced in October 2024 that ads are automatically checked for violations, including fraud, and a new system using facial recognition software is now in place to detect scams. However, the case of the Weidel ad shows that Meta is not very successful in detecting fraudulent ads.

Under the DSA, Meta can be held accountable if illegal content is not removed after notification. Users who regularly publish such illegal content should be temporarily suspended. If such fake ads are reported, Facebook (Meta) would be liable for the illegal content if it doesn't delete it promptly (Article 6, paragraph 1 of the DSA).

There are no specific search results identifying who is behind the website "Immutable Nystex" or explaining how its fraudulent offer continues to spread on Meta platforms despite internal policies and legal violations. The issue of online fraud and illegal content remains a challenge for Meta and other tech companies as they navigate the evolving regulatory landscape.

Unveiling the Deceptive Marketing: Alice Weidel's Advertisements Revealed as a Fraudulent Campaign