Facebook and Gucci file first joint lawsuit against alleged online counterfeiter

Facebook and Gucci filed their first joint lawsuit against an alleged online counterfeiter as the web giant and luxury brand move to crack down on the fraudulent practice.

Facebook and Kering SA’s Italian fashion brand filed the suit against an individual for breach-of-contract, claiming violations of the social media platform’s terms and the infringement of Gucci’s intellectual property rights, they said in a statement. The suit was filed in federal court in northern California.

The initiative, a first of its kind for both Gucci and Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media.