Zuckerberg Group is silent
Meta under suspicion of illegal drug trafficking
March 16, 2024, 8:54 p.m
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Social media platforms give third parties an opportunity to promote products. When it comes to offenses, Facebook and Co. are usually fine. In view of the increasing number of drug-related deaths, online drug trafficking is now in the sights of the US authorities.
According to a newspaper report, the US authorities are investigating Facebook parent company Meta for possible involvement in the illegal trade in medicines. As the “Wall Street Journal” reported, investigators in the southern state of Virginia are investigating to what extent the meta online platforms facilitate and profit from the illegal drug trade.
The company told the Wall Street Journal that the sale of unapproved medications violated its own policies and that it was working to remove relevant content from the platforms. When asked by AFP, neither the US drug regulator nor Meta, which was involved in the investigation, commented on the report.
Meta manager Nick Clegg announced on Friday that Meta would like to participate in the fight against the trade in synthetic drugs together with the US State Department, the UN and Snapchat. The number of drug deaths has increased dramatically in the USA in recent years. It is estimated that around 108,000 people died of an overdose in the United States in 2021.
Social media companies have recently been targeted by members of Congress for content that endangers young people, especially children. MPs are debating whether tech companies should be held responsible for what third parties publish on their platforms. These efforts are complicated by Section 230 of the , which states that online platforms are not liable for what third parties post except for. However, there are a number of legal hurdles for this undertaking.
However, the investigation alone can be seen as a means of exerting pressure. In 2011, Google agreed to pay $500 million for allowing Canadian online pharmacies to run ads targeting U.S. consumers, resulting in the illegal importation of prescription drugs into the United States.