FACEBOOK IRELAND AND Gavin Duffy have resolved a dispute over ads that appeared on the social media site which claimed the former presidential candidate was dead. 

Duffy had threatened legal action over the fake advertisements, which used his image and suggested he was deceased. The link in these ads brought users to articles about investing in cryptocurrencies. 

Duffy’s solicitor Paul Tweed shared a joint statement by Facebook and his client which stated they had resolved the issue regarding ads containing “misleading and inaccurate statements” about Duffy.

These statements, it said, had been published on Facebook by “malicious third-parties”.

“Facebook Ireland puts significant resources towards tackling things kinds of ads,” the statement said.

For the record, Mr Duffy states and Facebook Ireland accepts that he has never traded, speculated, or invested in any cryptocurrency nor has he ever recommended anyone to do so.

My client is not dead!
Joint statement issued this afternoon by Facebook and my client, Gavin Duffy, which reads… pic.twitter.com/OBqzWEHpPl

— Paul Tweed (@Paul_Tweed) July 29, 2021

The statement said it is important that ads on Facebook “are useful to people and not used to promote deceptive behaviour, like using images of public figures to mislead people”.

“Mr Duffy and Facebook Ireland have also agreed to continue to work together to address any further misleading and inaccurate ads relating to Mr Duffy in the event that such ads reappear on Facebook.”