Instagram acts after BBC finds site users are advertising illegal drugs ..
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/07/instagram-illegal-drugs-bbc-investigation
Instagram has now become Strict with their users updates, comments and hashtags in a bid to stamp out the sale of illegal drugs. After a BBC investigation, it was found that people were selling and adverting illegal drugs to their followers. Most of the drug sales have mainly taken place in the US according to the #BBCtrending strand on the broadcaster's website.
One ad posted below an image of bags of marijuana said: "Just getting a few packs ready for tomorrow morning … Place your order today, it gets shipped out at 8am tomorrow." Another photo displayed a selection of pills with the caption: "$2 a pop for xans, $10 a pop for roxys " – a reference to Xanax, a psychoactive anxiety treatment, and Roxicodone, an opiate used to treat pain.
Many deals were finalised through instant messaging apps such as whatsapp or kik allowing messages to be kept private. Instagram which is owned by Facebook has a policy of actimng on reported inappropriate activity. But it told the BBC that there was no point in finding such material because its terms of service state: "You may not use the service for any illegal or unauthorised purpose, people can't buy things on Instagram, we are simply a place where people share photos and videos."
Personally, its not a shock to me that people are using social networking sites for illegal uses, and its not another shock that imstagram don't think its worth checking out. If people are going to sell drugs they will, nobody can stop the because they'll find another way of selling it. However the BBC investigating it will help cut the problem down.
No comments:
Post a Comment