A new twist in the ongoing saga of social media regulation has emerged as U.S. prosecutors delve into whether Meta, the parent company of Facebook, knowingly facilitated and profited from the illegal drug trade.
Meta: Potential involvement in drug trade
According to sources and documents cited by the Wall Street Journal, authorities in Virginia are probing Meta’s platforms for potential involvement in drug sales.
The investigation, which has been ongoing for some time, saw prosecutors issuing subpoenas and conducting inquiries through a criminal grand jury. Their focus? Uncovering evidence of drug-related content or transactions flourishing within Meta’s online realms. Notably, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also joined forces in this pursuit of justice.
While investigations of this nature don’t always result in charges, the seriousness of the matter is not lost on Meta. A company spokesperson emphasized their staunch policies against illicit activities, stating, “The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services.” Moreover, Meta asserts its proactive cooperation with law enforcement to combat the distribution of illegal substances.
Why the silence?
However, the prosecutors’ office and the FDA remained tight-lipped when approached by the WSJ for comment. Similarly, inquiries from Reuters to Meta, the FDA, and the Virginia Attorney General’s office yielded no immediate responses.
In an interesting turn of events, Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, revealed on social media platform X that the company has forged partnerships with prominent entities like the U.S. State Department, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Snapchat. Together, they aim to disrupt the online sale of synthetic drugs and educate users about associated risks.
As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight intensifies on the responsibility of tech giants in policing illicit activities within their digital domains.
Cover Photo: Depositphotos
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