A landmark ruling from the EU Court of Justice is set to reverberate across Europe, redefining platform liability for false or defamatory content posted by third parties.

According to Courthouse News Service, the case originated in Romania in 2018 when a woman discovered a fake classified ad on Publi24 falsely identifying her as a sex worker, complete with her photo and phone number. Although Publi24 removed the listing within an hour of her complaint, the damage was done. Copies of the post spread widely and remained online for years.

She initially won €7,000 in damages from publisher Russmedia, but the decision was overturned on appeal. Romania’s High Court then referred the matter to the EU’s top judges in Luxembourg to determine whether platforms bear responsibility for such content.

The court ruled that platforms can be held liable under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)—but only if they go beyond passive hosting. If a platform curates, promotes, or profits from the content, it is no longer a “neutral conduit” and may be held accountable.

The Romanian woman’s lawyer called the decision a turning point for victims of online data misuse. “It strengthens the protection of victims whose personal data is illegally processed and whose sensitive information is published in online advertisements,” she told Courthouse News Service.