Florida AG asks Zuckerberg to testify about human trafficking on Meta platforms

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify about the use of his social networks for human trafficking.

Moody proposed that Zuckerberg appear before the Florida State Council on Human Trafficking, which she chairs. Among other topics, Moody wants to consult with Zuckerberg about a recent council analysis that revealed that more than half of the cases involving the use of social media for human trafficking in the state involve Meta products.

Specifically, 146 of the 271 cases registered since 2019 have involved Meta platforms. Facebook and Instagram were the most commonly used platforms, with 72 and 65 cases, respectively. Although below other popular platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok, two other Meta products also appear on the list: Whatsapp, with five cases, and Facebook Messenger, with four.

"Before launching new products or wasting time preparing for a cage match that will likely never happen, Zuckerberg should be working to make Meta’s existing platforms safer for users," Moody said in response to the report's findings.

As can be read in the letter sent by the Florida attorney general to the tech mogul, Zuckerberg has until Sept. 5 to respond. If he accepts the invitation, he could participate in the next council meeting on Oct. 2.

Ashley Moody a Mark Zuckerberg / Ashley Moody to Mark Zuckerberg by Santiago Adolfo Ospital on Scribd