Snapchat targets drug dealers on its platform to address fentanyl crisis
The company said it has made 'significant investments' in its law enforcement operations
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Snapchat said Thursday it is ramping up efforts to identify and remove drug dealers from its platform, days after federal officials warned that counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl were widely available for sale on social media apps.
The company said it has made "significant investments" in its law enforcement operations over the last year and enhanced "proactive detection capabilities" to identify drug dealers. Snap Inc. also debuted an in-app portal dubbed Heads Up that automatically provides educational resources to users who search for drug-related keywords.
"We have heard devastating stories from families impacted by this crisis, including cases where fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills were purchased from drug dealers on Snapchat," the company said in a blog post. "We are determined to remove illegal drug sales from our platform, and we have been investing in proactive detection and collaboration with law enforcement to hold drug dealers accountable for the harm they are causing our community."
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Snap Inc. detailed its actions after the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Sept. 27 public safety alert regarding a "sharp increase" in counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl or meth. Officials noted the fake pills were "killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate" and were "widely accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms."
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The DEA said officials have seized more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills so far this year, more than they did in the last two years combined.
Snap said its efforts have already yielded progress, with proactive detection rates up 260% over the first six months of the year. The company said its response times to valid requests from law enforcement officials have increased 85% compared to the same time last year.
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"We will continue to work to strike the right balance between safety and privacy on our platform so that we can empower our community to express themselves without fear of harm," the company said.