U.S. prosecutors in Virginia are probing whether Facebook-parent Meta’s social media platforms facilitated and profited from the illegal sale of drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.

The prosecutors sent subpoenas last year and have been asking questions as part of a criminal grand jury probe, the report said, adding that they have also been requesting records related to drug content or illicit sale of drugs via Meta’s platforms.

The Food and Drug Administration has also been helping with the investigation, the newspaper added. It noted that investigations do not always lead to charges of wrongdoing.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I agree, but I would also say that it highly depends on what we’re talking about here.

    If Meta is helping people send weed across the country, this is total bullshit.

    If Meta is helping people sell fentanyl or, worse, any doctored illegal substance, then yeah, I think maybe this is worth investigating. In theory, Meta could be responsible for deaths if it facilitates the sale of, for example, tainted heroin.

    • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Assuming that meta didn’t go out of their way to court this business, in my opinion this is going to happen on all popular platforms and the deaths are still on our law makers.