Recently, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has found itself under investigation by federal authorities for allegedly facilitating illicit drug sales online.
The probe, led by US prosecutors in Virginia, aims to determine the extent to which Meta’s social media platforms may have unwittingly enabled and profited from illegal drug sales. This investigation has involved issuing subpoenas and questioning key stakeholders within Meta.
The investigation focuses on “violative drug content” and the illegal sale of drugs on Meta’s social media platforms. The investigative team has requested records dating back to last year, seeking to understand the extent of the problem.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many telehealth companies exploited Facebook and Instagram as platforms to promote prescription drugs for conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Concerns arose that these ads contributed to the misuse of controlled substances such as Adderall, with patients and employees giving revealing testimonies to this effect.
The investigation has also unveiled the promotion of fake versions of popular weight loss drugs on Meta’s sites. Some of these drugs have not yet received FDA approval. Although Meta has removed some flagged ads, new ones quickly replace them.
Assistant US Attorney Randy Ramseyer, renowned for his previous investigation into Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin marketing and featured in the 2021 Hulu miniseries “Dopesick” on the US opioid crisis, is heading this investigation.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is actively involved in the investigation. However, neither the agency nor the prosecutor’s office has made any public comment. It is noteworthy that such investigations do not always lead to formal charges.
Meta has responded to the allegations by stating that it is actively cooperating with law enforcement authorities to combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs. The company has also claimed to be working with the State Department and others to halt the sale of synthetic drugs online.
“The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services.” – Meta Spokesman
Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, has acknowledged the gravity of the opioid epidemic, stating that it is a significant public health issue requiring action from all facets of US society.
Legislators have struggled to hold Big Tech accountable for third-party posts on their platforms. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects online platforms from liability for third-party posts, with a few exceptions.
