Meta and Mark Zuckerberg are now facing a massive probe by members of Congress for their alleged advertisement program on Facebook and Instagram. These social media platforms reportedly ran product promotions from drug dealers, according to the detailed report by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) last month.
The report has claimed that these platforms allowed them to do so.
According to the report, over 400 ads on Facebook and Instagram are pharmaceutical and drug-related content. The content ranges from under-the-counter prescriptions to illegal narcotics.
Meta, Mark Zuckerberg Under Probe by Congress for Drug Ads
(Photo : Alex Wong/Getty Images)
It was revealed by members of Congress that these kinds of content have been found in Meta's Ad Library. Congress is now asking Meta's CEO to respond to its list of questions by September 6.
According to Congress members, drug-related ad content throughout 2024 has been approved by Meta and ran on Facebook and Instagram even with these ads had "blatant drug-related names."
The Congress asked about how many "illicit drug advertisements" were discovered on Meta's platforms as well as how much they earn from these ad placements, among many more queries.
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Facebook, Instagram Filled with Prescription, Illegal Drugs Ads
The lawmakers cited the report by TTP regarding the recent proliferation of illicit drug advertisements and other related ads found on Facebook and Instagram throughout 2024. It talked about how prescription drug bottles, pills, powders, or "bricks of cocaine" were run explicitly on its ad program.
Drug dealers would then reportedly take users to third-party apps like Telegram to hold transactions.
Mark Zuckerberg and Meta's Past Probes
While Meta's social media platforms have become well-known and popular around the world, the company has also been involved in various issues that have prompted investigations by lawmakers throughout the years. This has also been true for other social media platforms that Meta does not own
In the past, the likes of Meta, TikTok, X, Discord, Snap, and more have been probed by the US Senate for their alleged child endangerment practices on their respective platforms.
Several whistleblowers have also revealed information about Meta's previous operations, which led to the company being put under the focus of regulators and the government. In 2021, for example, Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen shared how Facebook has deals with foreign countries to show misleading information to its constituents. Dangers for children on its platforms have also been revealed, leading to Zuck's questioning by the lawmakers.
Meta has faced serious issues pertaining to its practices as well as the values that shape how the company is run. Despite previous investigations, complaints have continued to be made against the social media giant even until now. With the revelation of this new controversy, Congress is now intent on getting to the bottom of this new drug dealer ads issue on Meta's Facebook and Instagram.
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