The United States is investigating Facebook’s parent company for possible involvement in illegal drug sales on the social media platform, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
Prosecutors have issued a flurry of subpoenas to Meta as part of a larger investigation into whether the company’s social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, host and profit from the sale of illegal drugs. . according to In WSJ. Meta and its subsidiaries have come under intense scrutiny from critics and lawmakers for promoting content that is harmful to users, especially young people, raising questions about Meta’s role in maintaining content posted on its platform. ing. (Related: President Trump says banning TikTok will help ‘enemy’ Facebook)
Prosecutors are subpoenaing records related to “violent drug content on Meta’s platform and/or illegal sale of drugs through Meta’s platform,” according to a copy of the document reviewed by the Journal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cooperating with prosecutors in the investigation.
The Journal noted that investigations do not necessarily indicate criminal or illegal activity. Meta said in a statement that its policies prohibit promoting the distribution of illegal drugs on its platform.
MENLO PARK, CA – OCTOBER 28: A car with the new logo and name “Meta” drives on a sign in front of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California on October 28, 2021. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“The sale of illegal drugs is against our policies, and we are working to identify and remove this content from our services,” a Meta spokesperson told the Journal. “Meth actively cooperates with law enforcement to combat the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.”
According to the WSJ, FDA special agents sent a subpoena to the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, a subsidiary of the National Congress for Civil Rights, seeking records related to questionable drug content on Meta’s social media platforms. . The Algorithmic Transparency Institute handed over thousands of telemedicine ads in Meta’s vault, some of which featured prescription drugs.
During the pandemic, telemedicine companies have saturated Facebook and Instagram with ads for prescription drugs that claim to treat anxiety, hyperactivity and other disorders, according to the Journal. Related witnesses testified that these ads contributed to the abuse of drugs such as Adderall.
According to the Journal, telemedicine companies have previously promoted drugs without mentioning negative side effects, one of which is still two years away from FDA approval. Some of these companies have recently run ads for counterfeit weight loss drugs, some of which were taken down by Meta, but clones reappeared on the platform almost immediately.
According to the Journal, lawmakers sent a letter to the FDA in February asking the agency to take a greater role in cracking down on prescription drug advertising on social media. Companies like Meta can avoid liability through Section 230. Article 230 declares that social media platforms are not legally responsible for third-party posts, with some exceptions.
Mehta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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