A group of 19 bipartisan U.S. lawmakers is pressing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to explain why the company’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, have allowed advertisements for illegal drugs. The legislators expressed grave concerns about Meta’s failure to block ads promoting substances like cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription pills.
The scrutiny follows alarming findings from The Wall Street Journal and the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). Both sources revealed a significant number of ads on Meta’s platforms directing users to third-party services where these drugs could be bought. This has led Congress to question Meta’s adherence to its community guidelines and its broader commitment to user safety.
Revealing Ads and Insufficient Actions
The TTP’s investigation uncovered over 450 ads on Facebook and Instagram that promoted pharmaceutical and recreational drugs. These ads featured explicit images, including drug bottles, pills, and cocaine, often linking to apps like Telegram for purchases. Despite TTP’s continued efforts to highlight such ads, many remained visible, including recent examples shared on the social media platform X.
The lawmakers criticized Meta, noting that these ads were not hidden or user-generated content but were approved and monetized by the company. “These ads had clear references to illegal drugs, found easily through Meta’s Ad Library,” the letter said. “Yet they seemed to escape Meta’s internal detection processes.”
Demand for Transparency
The congressional letter demanded a detailed explanation of Meta’s policies on drug-related ads. Specifically, the lawmakers asked for data on how Meta enforces its rules and how many times these problematic ads were viewed or interacted with. They set a deadline of September 6 for Meta to provide a response.
Meta acknowledged receiving the letter and indicated that it would address the concerns raised. The company reiterated its previous statement that it blocks “hundreds of thousands of ads” that violate its drug policies.
Federal Investigation and Ongoing Issues
The issue has attracted federal attention. On March 16, 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors were investigating Meta for allegedly facilitating drug sales. Yet, a July 31 report showed that Meta continued to host ads leading to illegal drug marketplaces.
The lawmakers expressed frustration that Meta seemed to prioritize revenue over user safety and legal compliance. “It is troubling that Meta persists in running these ads despite federal investigations,” they wrote, emphasizing the need for stronger action.
Concerns Over Ad Approval Process
The lawmakers also criticized Meta’s ad approval process, which allowed these ads to slip through. They noted that while Meta’s systems failed to catch these ads, researchers and journalists could easily find them using Meta’s own tools. This discrepancy calls into question the effectiveness of Meta’s ad monitoring.
The letter highlighted that Meta often claims to use sensitive user data for personalized content and advertisements, yet resists Congressional efforts to enhance data privacy and security protections.
Congress Seeks Detailed Answers
The letter included 15 questions aimed at uncovering how Meta plans to address the problem of illegal drug advertisements. The lawmakers have demanded thorough answers by September 6, 2024, and indicated that further action might be taken based on Meta’s response.
In its reply, Meta reiterated its commitment to working with law enforcement to combat illegal activities on its platforms. “Drug dealers operate across platforms, which is why we collaborate with law enforcement to address this issue,” Meta stated. “Our systems are designed to detect and enforce against violating content, and we reject hundreds of thousands of ads for drug policy violations. We continue to improve our enforcement and work together to tackle this epidemic.”
