As social media platforms gain traction and popularity everyday, the conversation around their regulation and supervision has become imperative. In a new angle to this discourse, United States lawmakers have recently interrogated Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook and Instagram, urging him to clarify how these platforms handle illicit drug advertisements.
Facebook and Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms Inc., have received letters from Senate Democrats, Sherrod Brown and Maggie Hassan, requesting an explanation on their policies regarding overt and clandestine drug ads, with a specific emphasis on opioids and other controlled substances. This was said to be necessary due to the rampant increase in harmful drug sales fostered under their watch and within their digital walls.
The Senators stated in their letter that they have unearthed numerous instances where prescription drugs such as Adderall and Vicodin were being advertised and sold on Facebook and Instagram. Laws in the United States prohibit the sale of these drugs without a legitimate prescription from a medical professional and furthermore, promotional advertising of such substances by unauthorized entities is also considered illegal.
Both Senators raised concerns over the ease with which sellers of illegal substances are able to circumvent Facebook and Instagram’s community standards. It appears that simple tactics such as using street names for the drugs or the use of various symbols or emojis in place of the drugs’ names have been enough to evade detection by the social media giants’ artificial intelligence (AI) and human moderator teams.
A major point of contention has been the inadequacy of the measures put in place by Facebook and Instagram to tackle this issue. There is huge concern about how they utilize AI and human moderators to identify and remove such content. Perceived loopholes in the system appear to be readily exploited by illegal operators looking to advertise and sell these drugs.
Given the potential risks associated with unauthorized access and use of prescription drugs, this ongoing issue raises alarm. The Senators have, therefore, asked Mark Zuckerberg to provide clear answers to their queries on the matter and provide a detailed plan laying out how Facebook and Instagram intend to better address this issue going forward.
According to the Senators, these answers are necessary in order to further understand the lengths at which the social media giant is prepared to go to curb the distribution and advertising of illicit drugs on its platforms. They cited interest in knowing the number of ads identified and removed, the number of users reporting such ads, and how swiftly the platforms act upon these reports.
The lawmakers’ inquiry towards Mark Zuckerberg signifies a marked focus on social media platforms’ role in facilitating illegal activities. This is an open demonstration by the lawmakers on holding these platforms responsible and demanding stricter control mechanisms to protect the public from harm.
In conclusion, as the reach and influence of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram continue to grow, the responsibility they carry towards their users grows equally. It is crucial for such platforms not only to act as a means of connection and interaction but also to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their users by actively fighting against malpractices such as illicit drug advertising.