Wardynski & Partners has represented the Civil Society Drug Policy Initiative on a pro bono basis in a dispute with Meta.
The Civil Society Drug Policy Initiative is an NGO that works to spread knowledge about the harmful effects of psychoactive substances and assists drug users.
According to Wardynski & Partners, "by blocking the social media accounts and groups of the Civil Society Drug Policy Initiative (SIN) without warning, explanation, or a real opportunity to appeal those decisions, Meta infringed the organization’s personal interests. The court ordered Meta to restore the blocked content and apologize publicly to SIN for unjustly taking down SIN’s accounts and groups on Facebook and Instagram."
Further, "in the oral justification for the judgment issued from the bench, the court pointed out that Meta’s removal of SIN content from Facebook and Instagram in this manner violated the association’s freedom of expression and reputation, as well as its sense of certainty and safety. The court also found that the case against Meta could be heard in Poland, rather than before the courts in Ireland, where Meta has its registered office," the firm reported.
As background, Wardynski & Partners highlighted that "in 2018, Facebook, which was a strategic platform for SIN’s operations, deleted the SIN page and group, finding that they violated Facebook Community Standards, without warning or a transparent explanation. The suit against Meta (then still operating under the name Facebook) for infringement of SIN’s personal interests was filed in May 2019. SIN alleged in the complaint that the takedown unjustly restricted the organization’s ability to disseminate information, express its views, and communicate with audiences. On July 2, 2019, the court hearing the case issued an interim injunction prohibiting Meta from taking down pages, accounts, or groups operated by SIN on Facebook and Instagram, or blocking individual posts by SIN."
The Wardynski & Partners team included Partners Lukasz Lasek and Piotr Goledzinowski and Attorney at Law Bartosz Troczynski.
