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Did you know you could buy drugs through ads on Facebook? Neither did we

Dec 1, 2025
26 mins

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Episode Description

It's not the most commonly sought-after item on Facebook, but it's certainly not the least advertised on the platform's feeds either.

Advertisements for highly addictive and illegal drugs like cocaine and oxycodone continue to appear on Meta's social platforms, amid their no-tolerance policy for such content and for what they call 'robust' measures to keep them off.

The RCMP says it works extensively to intercept online purchases of illegal drugs, but Meta's reliance on AI to regulate advertisement sales and distribution doesn't allow for much policing.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Ben Musset, digital editor for the Toronto Star, and Omar Mosleh, reporter for the Toronto Star to discuss their investigation into Meta's advertising loopholes, and how Canada's most vulnerable could fall victim to the multibillion dollar self-regulating business platform.

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