Instagram's Opioid Recovery Hashtags Are Full of Drug Dealers (buzzfeednews.com) 45
An anonymous reader quotes a report from BuzzFeed News: Dozens of top posts under the #opioidcrisis and #opioidaddiction hashtags contained comments touting Oxycontin, Percocet, Codeine, and other prescription opioids -- along with phone numbers and usernames for encrypted messaging accounts. A typical entry, under a video describing tens of thousands of deaths by drug overdose, offered "fast deals" on "Oxys, Roxy, Xans, Addy, codeine, perc...Available 24.7 for delivery." Social media's role in boosting the American opioid crisis, and the way dealers have used Instagram to connect with buyers, have long been known. Last year, the Washington Post described the service as "a sizable open marketplace for advertising illegal drugs." Instagram responded by cracking down on the drug-specific hashtags where many of these offers once lived.
Now, though, as Facebook strives to highlight the way its services can connect addicts with recovery communities, these hubs are also valuable real estate for dealers. It's a significant oversight for the company, which is trying to show it can deal with the problem of drugs on its platforms to discourage legislation that would increase its liability for hosting such content. Eileen Carey, an activist and former tech industry executive who for years has kept a record of drug sales on social platforms, told BuzzFeed News that she approached [Facebook's head of global policy management Monika Bickert after a Senate hearing on Wednesday] and showed her the comments. "She thanked me for flagging," Carey said. A day later, however, the hashtag-located opioid markets remained open for business. "We do not allow the sale of illegal drugs on Instagram," a Facebook spokesperson wrote in a comment to BuzzFeed News. "It is against our policies to buy, sell or trade non-medical or pharmaceutical drugs on our platform -- including in comments. Inappropriate comments can and should be reported, and will be reviewed like posts or stories."
Now, though, as Facebook strives to highlight the way its services can connect addicts with recovery communities, these hubs are also valuable real estate for dealers. It's a significant oversight for the company, which is trying to show it can deal with the problem of drugs on its platforms to discourage legislation that would increase its liability for hosting such content. Eileen Carey, an activist and former tech industry executive who for years has kept a record of drug sales on social platforms, told BuzzFeed News that she approached [Facebook's head of global policy management Monika Bickert after a Senate hearing on Wednesday] and showed her the comments. "She thanked me for flagging," Carey said. A day later, however, the hashtag-located opioid markets remained open for business. "We do not allow the sale of illegal drugs on Instagram," a Facebook spokesperson wrote in a comment to BuzzFeed News. "It is against our policies to buy, sell or trade non-medical or pharmaceutical drugs on our platform -- including in comments. Inappropriate comments can and should be reported, and will be reviewed like posts or stories."
THE SPECIAL HELL (Score:1, Flamebait)
Round these worthless piece of shit drug dealers up, bind and gag them, tie steaks all over their bodies, and drop them into the cage of lions or tigers that haven't been fed in a few days.
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Do you honestly think street level dealers, many of whom are addicts, are the driving force here?
No, the real criminals wear tailored suits and manufacture opioids. If you let them redirect your outrage against addicts and street dealers, you've let them divide and conquer you.
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Re:THE SPECIAL HELL (Score:4, Insightful)
This. George Carlin said it best:
"[...]there are alot of people who want to expand the death penalty to include drug dealers. This is really stupid. Drug dealers aren't afraid to die. They're already killing each other every day on the streets by the hundreds. Drive-bys, gang shootings, they're not afraid to die. Death penalty doesn't mean anything unless you use it on people who are afraid to die. Like... the bankers who launder the drug money. The bankers, who launder, the drug money. Forget the dealers, you want to slow down that drug traffic, you got to start executing a few of these fucking bankers. White, middle class Republican bankers.
And I'm not talking about soft, American executions, like lethal injection. I'm talking about fucking crucifixion folks! Let's bring back crucifixions. A form of capital punishment the Christians and Jews of America can really appreciate. And I'd go a little further, I'd crucify people upside-down. Like Saint Peter, feet up, head down. And naked. I'd have naked upside-down crucifixions on TV once a week at halftime on the Monday Night Football game! Halftime! Monday Night! The Monday Night Crucifixions! You'd have people tuning in, don't even care about Football! Wouldn't you like to hear Dan Dierdorf explain why the nails have to go in at a certain angle? And I'll guarantee you one thing. You start execut- you start nailing one white banker per week to a big wooden cross, you're going to see that drug traffic begin to slow down pretty fucking quick. Pretty fucking quick- you won't even be able to buy drugs in schools and prisons anymore!"
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Humans, some of you just don't deserve to exist.
Round these worthless piece of shit drug dealers up, bind and gag them, tie steaks all over their bodies, and drop them into the cage of lions or tigers that haven't been fed in a few days.
We kind of need doctors, though.
Re:THE SPECIAL HELL (Score:4, Insightful)
If "Do no harm" is not something they can abide by, then we don't need them.
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Name one medicine prescription only or over the counter that is free from side effects. (except for placebos and homeopathics that have no effect either)
A simple aspirin may harm and kill you from internal bleeding. Or do you want to keep your bursting appendix in just because no surgeon wants to harm you by cutting you open? Ever noticed that they have to break open your ribcage to do life saving open heart surgery?
"Do no harm" is absolutely no option here as the whole job of a doctor is to balance risk an
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There are doctors that exist only to push pills with fraudulent prescriptions. Those are the ones that should be locked up.
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"You should never/Write words using numbers/Unless you're seven, or your name is Prince"
Sounds like lots of leads (Score:2)
Sounds like lots of free criminal leads.
I'm a detective, agent , law enforcement person - I decide I want to buy buy some oxy.
I use the provided details and make a purchase.
Am i missing something here?
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Sounds like lots of free criminal leads.
I'm a detective, agent , law enforcement person - I decide I want to buy buy some oxy.
I use the provided details and make a purchase.
Am i missing something here?
You are missing the costs, effectiveness, and which law enforcement agency would take this on.
I'm sure someone might think this falls squarely on the DEA, as far a jurisdiction goes. Well, not all of this happens in the USA. I've seen cases where states get upset when the federal government keeps poking their nose in what should be a state matter.
If people believe that there is a federal agency snooping around whatever internet communications they are using then they move on to something else.
I believe th
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Look at the demand. Find what it is that drives people to abuse drugs and then treat that.
I think it's partly because it makes them feel really good, and it's extremely addictive. As I understand it many of these addictions began after a legal prescription from a dentist of family doctor. They are solving this part of the problem by not prescribing these highly addictive pain killers for trivial reasons. Most of the time OTC pain medication is all that is needed.
I disagree with your logic as it pertains to ignoring the dealers. And more directly ignoring direct evidence and leads.
Often times
"Dozens" (Score:2)
Out of how many million?
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There aren't millions of top posts.
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There aren't millions of top posts.
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{sigh} Nobody understands hyperbole anymore.
Now, if you'll excuse me, there are some youths approaching my lawn so I must hobble off to find my cane so I can shake it at them while I tell them not to tread on my grass.
[That's some satire encased in self-deprecating humor which I'm using to point out how your response to my comment highlights the significant gap in how older and younger generations use, interpret, and understand aspects of language such as hyperbole. In case you didn't get the joke.]
https:/ [youtube.com]
Can you actually buy drugs from a hashtag? (Score:2)
Asking for a friend...
Re:Can you actually buy drugs from a hashtag? (Score:5, Funny)
It ain't called a *hash* tag for nothing.
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How does advertising work?
This is just another kind of censorship (Score:2)
The Internet sees censorship as damage and routes around it. Filtering out drug dealers might seem like some kind of public good but that does not mean it isn't censorship, and the Internet will simply find another way to route around it.
I think back to experiments with addiction to show what works and what does not. One such example was a human behavior study. The military had all kinds of problems with soldiers in Vietnam during the war there abusing drugs. But when they got home, for the most part an
The drug war is over. (Score:2)
The drugs won.
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Hey look, someone with some common sense on /. That's not really that common.
But didn't anyone ever ponder for at least a moment why people take drugs? Does anyone really think that there is one single person in the western world left that does NOT know that shooting heroin into your veins is a BAD idea that will probably kill you sooner or later? People know that! And they STILL do it!
No later than this one should start to wonder why.
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But didn't anyone ever ponder for at least a moment why people take drugs?
Guy goes to dentist gets wisdom teeth removed.
Dentist gives guy prescription for percocet or oxy.
Guy takes medication as prescribed.
Guy is now addicted.
Kid hanging out with friends , one says hey check this out
kids brain isn't fully developed yet, not capable of making rational decisions effected the rest of his life.
kid becomes addicted.
etc etc etc
Use your imagination and ponder some of the ways it's possible. You know - use your brain.
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I don't know about you, but for most people there is a HUGE difference between popping a pill and shooting something up their vein.
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But didn't anyone ever ponder for at least a moment why people take drugs?
Guy goes to dentist gets wisdom teeth removed.
Dentist gives guy prescription for percocet or oxy.
Guy takes medication as prescribed.
Guy is now addicted.
Kid hanging out with friends , one says hey check this out
kids brain isn't fully developed yet, not capable of making rational decisions effected the rest of his life.
kid becomes addicted.
etc etc etc
Use your imagination and ponder some of the ways it's possible. You know - use your brain.
What dentist did you go to that gave Percocet or Oxycodone? Vicodin is more than enough for just about any mouth procedure, but thanks to this fucking war on opioids, I pray I never have to go to the dentist again for anything more than a cleaning. "Oh, looks like you need a root canal. Yea, so now take a couple Tylenol and fuck off".
What a load of horseshit...
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The Internet sees censorship as damage and routes around it. Filtering out drug dealers might seem like some kind of public good but that does not mean it isn't censorship, and the Internet will simply find another way to route around it.
I think back to experiments with addiction to show what works and what does not.
That is exactly right. Definitely don't filter them. Just place an order and arrest the guy that shows up.
You know at least the easy ones , like this guy from the summary :
""fast deals" on "Oxys, Roxy, Xans, Addy, codeine, perc...Available 24.7 for delivery."
Shocker (Score:1)
Predators go where the prey is.
Film at 11
It is against our policies (Score:3)
To actually do anything to police the activity on our network. Doing so constitutes a violation of our right to be paid for sitting on our arses with no accountability whatsoever. Instagram categorically denies giving a shit about you, your health, or your fucking social problems.
game the system (Score:2)
people will always find a way to abuse a system.
second order / unintended effects (Score:2)
Alcohol on the other hand, was always more of a pain in the ass to buy. There wasn't as much of an underground distribution network because the drug was legal, therefore the premiums for the