Virginia prosecutors are investigating whether parent company Meta’s Facebook and Instagram social media platforms are facilitating and profiting from illegal drug sales, according to a Saturday report from the Wall Street Journal.
Driven by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyerthe investigation plans to delve deeper into whether Meta HALF has failed to adequately remove drug-related content from its platforms.
Citing documents and people familiar with the matter, the article noted that prosecutors had issued subpoenas in 2023 and asked questions as part of a criminal grand jury investigation.
Ramseyer, who had previously investigated Purdue Pharmaof the marketing of OxyContin, requested subpoenas. Ramseyer appeared in the Hulu miniseries “Dopesick,” about the opioid crisis in the United States
The WSJ noted that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also assisting in the investigation. Meta claims to have policies against the sale of drugs, to remove such content, and to work with law enforcement and organizations dedicated to combating online drug sales.
“The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services,” a Meta spokesperson told the WSJ. “Meta proactively works with law enforcement authorities to help combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs.”
The President of Meta Global Affairs, Nick Cleggsaid on Friday on
“The opioid epidemic is a serious public health problem that requires action from all parts of American society,” Clegg tweeted. “The opioid epidemic is a serious public health problem that requires action from all parts of U.S. society.”
In a related move in late February, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and licensed dispensary owners blamed major Meta and Alphabet Inc GOOG of allegedly promoting unlicensed cannabis businesses.
Further complicating the issue is the recent wave of telemedicine companies aggressively marketing prescription drugs on social media. Concerns have been raised about the misleading nature of some of these advertisements, which may contribute to the misuse of controlled substances.
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Image credits: Rawpixel.com and Bukhta Yurii on Shutterstock Edited by Benzinga