Congress asks Mark Zuckerberg to explain why drug dealers are advertising on Facebook and Instagram
Congress demands Zuckerberg explain why Meta allowed ads for illegal drugs on Facebook and Instagram, citing TTP's findings.
Congress has asked Mark Zuckerberg to explain why Meta has allowed advertisements for illegal drugs like cocaine and ecstasy to be shown on Facebook and Instagram. This inquiry follows a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), which found 450 ads promoting various drugs on these platforms. These ads included images of prescription drug bottles, piles of pills, powders, and bricks of cocaine and directed users to external apps like Telegram.
The letter from Congress criticizes Meta for neglecting its social responsibility and violating its own community guidelines by approving and monetizing these ads. It notes that the ads contained clear references to illegal drugs in their titles, descriptions, photos, and advertiser account names, yet Meta's internal processes failed to detect or address them. The lawmakers have given Meta a deadline of September 6 to provide details about its policies on drug-related ads and the interactions the reported ads received.
A spokesperson for Meta indicated that the company plans to respond to the letter and referred to a previous statement made to The Wall Street Journal. In that statement, Meta claimed it rejects hundreds of thousands of ads for violating its drug policies. The issue highlights ongoing concerns about Meta's ad approval processes and its enforcement of community guidelines.