A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, expressing serious concerns about the continued presence of illicit drug advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.
The letter, dated Thursday, August 15, addresses the company’s failure to prevent these ads, which have been highlighted in recent reports by The Wall Street Journal and the nonprofit organization Tech Transparency Project.
Investigations and Findings
The lawmakers referenced findings from a March 16, 2024, Wall Street Journal report that disclosed an ongoing investigation by U.S. federal prosecutors into Meta’s potential role in facilitating the sale of illicit drugs.
According to the report, instead of taking swift action to remove the illegal content, Meta allowed ads that directed users to third-party services where they could purchase prescription pills, cocaine, and other recreational drugs to continue running on its platforms.
The Tech Transparency Project’s findings further revealed the extent of the issue. The nonprofit used Meta’s ad library to identify 450 ads on Facebook and Instagram that were promoting various illegal substances. These ads included explicit images such as prescription drug bottles, piles of pills, powders, and even bricks of cocaine. Many of these ads directed viewers to other platforms, including Telegram, where transactions could take place. The organization has continued to monitor and share additional examples of such ads, including one found as recently as yesterday.
Lawmakers’ Frustration with Meta
The letter, signed by 19 members of Congress, including Reps. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), expressed frustration that these ads were not hidden on the dark web or private social media pages but were instead openly approved and monetized by Meta. The lawmakers pointed out that media outlets and researchers were able to easily locate these ads, which contained blatant references to illegal drugs, while Meta’s internal review processes appeared to have missed or ignored them.
The letter also criticized Meta for its ongoing emphasis on personalized content and advertisements, which the lawmakers argue has allowed harmful content to flourish. They noted that Congress has made several attempts to establish data privacy and security protections, only to face resistance from Meta, which claimed that such regulations would disrupt the personalization features of its platforms.
Next Steps for Meta
In response to these concerns, the lawmakers sent Zuckerberg a list of 15 questions designed to uncover more details about how Meta is addressing the issue of drug-related ads. They have asked for a response by September 6, 2024.
Meta acknowledged receipt of the letter and confirmed that it plans to respond. The company reiterated its position that it works closely with law enforcement to combat illegal activities on its platforms.
In a statement previously provided to The Wall Street Journal, Meta stated that its systems are designed to proactively detect and enforce against content that violates its drug policies, and that it rejects hundreds of thousands of ads that breach these guidelines. The company emphasized its ongoing commitment to improving enforcement and expressed sympathy for those affected by the drug epidemic, noting that addressing this issue requires collective efforts.
Featured Image courtesy of EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
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