A report from the Tech Transparency Project found that Instagram's algorithm recommends drug dealer accounts to underage users and even suggests drug -related tags.
In a report published Tuesday (7/12), the Tech Transparency Project created seven fake accounts for 13, 14, 15, and 17 -year -old teen users. Instagram didn't even stop the account from searching for drug -related content.
In one case, the platform filled in automatically when the user started typing "bu ** ana*" into the search field. Instagram then recommends a ** nax account.
After opting in to the account, fake account users under this age receive a "direct" message with a menu of products, prices, and shipping options.
Fake minor accounts that follow Instagram dealers are advised to follow accounts that sell Adderall.
"I would say Instagram is one of the worst places to be exposed to this kind of content," Tim Mackey, a professor at the University of California, San Diego and founder of S-3, a company that tracks the sale of illicit drugs online, quoted us. from The Verge.
Stephanie Otway, a spokeswoman for parent company Instagram Meta, said in a statement to NBC News that the platform prohibits the sale of illicit drugs.
"We will continue to improve in this area in our ongoing efforts to keep Instagram safe, especially for members of our rmuda community," he said.
The report also found that Instagram tags for drug -related content did not work well.
Instagram has banned many drug -related tags, such as #mdma, but when underage fake account users try to find the tag, Instagram suggests other alternatives such as #mollymdma.
Otway said that his company will review the tag to check for policy violations. The report comes during a new period of oversight on how Instagram and Facebook affect the mental and physical health of teen users.
A group of academic researchers published an open letter calling on Meta to be more transparent about its research on the mental health of young users.
The congress held a hearing in October after a report in The Wall Street Journal highlighted concerns that Instagram could endanger the mental health of young users, especially teenage girls.
During congress, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) pointed to a report that found that Facebook approved ads that promoted drug use and anorexia.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is scheduled to testify before Congress Wednesday (8/12) at the session "Protecting Children in the Online Realm: Instagram and Reform for Young Users."