Philippines: Facebook Allows Sale of Newborn Babies
Facebook Faces Criticism for Allowing Child Trafficking Content
Facebook is under fire once again, this time in the Philippines as Secretary Rex Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare has criticized the social media giant for its passivity towards unedited content, including human trafficking violations. Despite reports from the National Authority for Child Care dating back to 2023, Facebook has failed to take accountability for the harmful content on its platform.
During a press conference, Gatchalian highlighted Facebook’s lack of response to the NACC’s concerns, noting that the platform allows mothers to potentially “sell” their children through the platform. This lack of regulation has raised serious concerns about the safety and protection of vulnerable individuals, particularly children.
This is not the first time Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has come under scrutiny for its content monitoring systems. In Canada, the company faced criticism for unreliable automated moderation systems, particularly in relation to advertisements for illegal drugs. While Meta initially refused to delete these ads, citing advertising regulations, it later pledged to improve its monitoring system to prevent such content from circulating on the platform.
Christopher McGrath, a senior manager at Deloitte Canada, found Facebook ads promoting illicit substances, including untaxed cigarettes, illegal marijuana, LSD, and hallucinogenic mushrooms, during an investigation into Canada’s illicit drug industry. Despite Meta’s regulations banning such content, these ads continued to appear on the platform due to algorithm-driven targeting.
In response to the criticism, Meta stated that it is continuously working to improve its system to ensure the safety of its users. The tech giant has reiterated its commitment to removing content that violates its rules and preventing the promotion of illegal activities on its platform.
As the issue of child trafficking and other harmful content continues to persist on social media platforms, it is essential for companies like Facebook to take proactive measures to protect vulnerable individuals and uphold their responsibility to maintain a safe online environment.
