Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) announced on Friday that he is introducing legislation to limit the sale of illegal drugs on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.
The legislation, the Drug-Free Social Media and Digital Communities Act, would adjust the federal criminal code so that drug dealers selling products to users 18 and under on social media would be penalized the same as dealers who sell products near schools, colleges, or youth facilities.
“As a father, I know that keeping our children safe is the most important responsibility of being a parent,” Pfluger told the Washington Examiner. “Unfortunately, social media platforms have become hot spots for drug trading, and these dangerous drugs are more accessible to children than ever before, often without parental knowledge of the issue.”
“By making social media platforms protected zones for children, like schools and parks, individuals now caught selling or distributing drugs on social media platforms will face higher penalties,” the Texas Republican said. “This bill will serve as a powerful deterrent and provide law enforcement agencies with the tools needed to investigate and prosecute those involved in online drug sales.”
First-time offenders would face between one and five years in prison, while repeat offenders would face three years to life.
Drug dealers have used platforms including Snapchat and Instagram to find new customers and arrange sales for years. Some use simple emojis to communicate with their customers, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. For example, a dealer could post the emojis of a pill, a chocolate bar, and a bus to reference the anxiety relief pill Xanax.
While both platforms claim they are doing all they can to crack down on the sale of drugs on their platforms, their efforts have earned them scrutiny. Xanax, ecstasy, and opioids were all available on Instagram, according to a report by the Tech Transparency Platform.
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The Department of Justice and the FBI are both investigating Snapchat for its role in promoting drugs to minors. Meta was accused of “inconsistently” applying its drug rules by its Oversight Board, a third-party agency that reviews its content moderation decisions.
Meta and Snapchat came under scrutiny by the Senate on Wednesday, when their CEOs had to answer questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee about the safety protocols they had adopted to protect teenagers on their platforms.
