Feds investigating Meta for possible role in illegal drug sales on Facebook, Instagram
NY Post
The feds are poking Facebook for possible drug dealing.
US prosecutors in Virginia are investigating Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for playing a role in facilitating illegal drug sales online, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
They’ve issued subpoenas and begun questioning whether Meta’s social media platforms are enabling and profiting from illicit drug sales, sources told the Journal.
Prosecutors have also asked for records related to “violative drug content on Meta’s platforms and/or the illicit sale of drugs via Meta’s platforms,” according to copies of subpoenas delivered last year that were seen by the Journal.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth companies took advantage of Facebook and Instagram by running ads for prescription drugs for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and other medical conditions. The ads contributed to the abuse of controlled substances such as Adderall, the Journal reported, citing interviews from patients and employees.
Sellers recently touted fake versions of popular weight loss drugs on Meta sites, including some that don’t have FDA approval yet, the Journal has reported. But even when Meta has removed some of the flagged ads, new ones soon appear, the outlet said.
