Fentanyl overdoses, including fentanyl poisonings, have become the foremost cause of avoidable fatalities among people under 45 years of age -- surpassing suicide, gun violence and car accidents, according to a report by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.
"As online services and platforms become ubiquitous in almost every facet of our existence, they also pose a risk of exacerbating a deadly menace -- the growing accessibility of hazardous substances, such as fentanyl," Colorado Attorney General Phillip Weiser told Federal Newswire.
Social media platforms -- such as TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram -- have emerged as a significant platform for drug distribution, owing to their prevalence, ease of use and absence of regulation. The ease and secrecy that comes with conducting transactions over social media have made it a preferred choice among both buyers and sellers.
Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin, and it is the primary cause of addiction and overdose fatalities in our nation. It has become the primary cause of avoidable deaths among people aged 18 to 45 in the U.S. Presently, up to 60% of counterfeit prescription pills are estimated to contain a potentially deadly quantity of fentanyl.
Drug dealers employ peculiar slang terms, emojis and redirection methods (such as hyperlinks and QR codes) to market and sell illegal substances, intending to enhance their online customer outreach while circumventing content moderation mechanisms of the platforms.
Dealers also count on specific internet platform designs and functionalities to streamline drug transactions. The same built-in features that platforms employ to support lawful commercial activity and social interactions between users -- including encrypted messaging, temporary content and anonymous communications -- are also leveraged by drug dealers to advertise and peddle illegal substances.
Although most social media companies analyzed have implemented policies prohibiting the exploitation of their platforms to promote, advertise, purchase or vend illegal substances, and have taken some measures to collaborate with law enforcement to tackle the problem, companies' reactions to drug activity on their platforms have been inconsistent in their implementation and inadequate in their effectiveness.
