Lawmakers express concern to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about illicit drug ads on Facebook and Instagram.

• A group of lawmakers from both parties wrote to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expressing their worry over illicit drug ads on Facebook and Instagram.
• Recent reports from The Wall Street Journal and Tech Transparency Project nonprofit reveal a surge of misleading ads on Meta's apps.
• Meta acknowledged receipt of the letter and said it plans to respond.

On Thursday, a group of bipartisan lawmakers wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, expressing their worry that Facebook is not doing enough to stop illegal drug ads from appearing on its platform.

Recent reports from The Wall Street Journal and nonprofit Tech Transparency Project revealed that Facebook and Instagram were flooded with ads directing users to third-party services where they could purchase prescription pills, cocaine, and other recreational drugs.

"The Wall Street Journal reported on July 31, 2024, that Meta was still running ads on Facebook and Instagram that direct users to online marketplaces for illegal drugs, despite federal prosecutors investigating the company for facilitating such sales."

The most concerning issue, according to them, is that Meta continues to display advertisements even though the company is under investigation by U.S. federal authorities for aiding in the illegal drug trade.

The letter's 19 authors, including Reps. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), pointed out that the illicit drug ads were "approved and monetized by Meta" and were not concealed on the dark web or private social media pages. These ads were easily accessible to media outlets and researchers, containing "blatant references to illegal drugs," while Meta's internal processes apparently failed to detect them.

"The lawmakers wrote that they have repeatedly heard from Meta that users come to their platforms for personalization and experiences, and that they use sensitive personal information to provide such personalization through content and advertisements. However, they noted that they have struggled to establish data privacy and security protections for Americans, as Meta has opposed their efforts, claiming that it would disrupt the personalization they offer."

Zuckerberg was given a list of 15 questions by those who sent him, with the aim of obtaining additional information about how Meta is dealing with the issue, and was asked to respond by Sept. 6.

The company issued the same statement to CNBC as it did to the Journal for its initial report.

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