Monkeys, rhino horn, dead pangolins: Social media fuels rampant illegal wildlife trade, report says

Social media platforms, especially those owned by Meta, have become a major hub for illegal wildlife trafficking, a new report reveals. Conservationists are sounding the alarm over the rampant trade, citing dozens of posts reviewed by AFP that offer endangered animals for sale.

One striking example involves a Facebook post from a Thai account advertising a dead pangolin, a critically endangered mammal. The animal, stripped of its scales, was offered as a "seasonal wild delicacy." This post is among many that highlight the scale of the problem, with platforms like Facebook accused of actively contributing to the trade.

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The animal, one of the world’s most endangered and trafficked mammals, has been stripped of its scales and is being advertised by a Thai account selling “seasonal wild delicacies”.

A recent report by several non-governmental organizations claims Meta hosts the world's largest single known illegal wildlife trade market. The NGOs further accuse the company of encouraging this trade by sharing advertising revenues with users and enabling subscription models. This situation is compounded by previous research from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), which warned about Facebook's role in facilitating such activities.

The findings underscore a critical need for social media companies to take greater responsibility for the content shared on their sites. Conservationists argue that stronger moderation and enforcement are essential to combat the illegal trade in endangered species, which poses a severe threat to global biodiversity.

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Meta of hosting the world’s “largest single known illegal wildlife trade market” and effectively encouraging the trade by sharing advertising revenues with users and allowing them subscription models.