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PRESS RELEASE: BEST PRACTICES TO RID SOCIAL MEDIA OF DRUG TRAFFICKING

Summary: On Tuesday Sep 27th, 2002, the Commission to Develop Best Practices for Social Media to Eliminate Drug Trafficking, will release a report that sets out guidelines for social media companies to remove drug traffickers from their platforms, support drug-related investigations, and disclose the results. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 15, 2022) – On Tuesday Sep 27th, 2002, the Commission to Develop Best Practices for Social Media to Eliminate Drug Trafficking, will release a report that sets out guidelines for social media companies to remove drug traffickers from their platforms, support drug-related investigations, and disclose the results. 

The report, entitled Best Practices to Rid Social Media of Drug Trafficking, is a response to social media companies’ failure to control drug dealers who are causing a rising tide of deaths. When Commission Co-chair Amy Neville lost her son Alex to a pill sourced on Snapchat, she was dismayed to learn that her experience wasn’t unique: “Social media drug dealers had sold the same kinds of pills that killed my son previously. It happened to more than 70 families across the US in over twenty different states.” 

Representatives at Snap, Inc. told Neville and other bereaved parents that they didn’t have the resources to respond promptly to law enforcement requests. Transparency reports show that Snap fails to answer between 20 and 25 percent of U.S. law enforcement requests. For Meta’s social media properties, Facebook and Instagram, that number is 12 percent. Yet, as Commission chair and retired police sergeant Steve Filson points out, responding to court-ordered requests is a legal requirement: “No other business routinely flouts court orders for information like this. Investigators need this information quickly to stop more harm. These delays can be measured in lives lost.”

Snap and other social media platforms have announced changes to make their sites safer for minors, but new deaths related to social media drug sales keep happening. Two recent, unrelated cases involved 15-year-olds who died in Minnesota and California last spring.

The Commission, a group of family advocates, public health experts and law enforcement officers, convened with the goal of developing clear recommendations to save lives. They collected input from 15 public safety experts, law enforcement officers, regulators, and researchers. The paper recommends clear policies around advertising or selling illicit drugs, controlled substances, and prescription medicines; robust, well-staffed programs and improved user reporting functions to identify and remove drug dealers; better support of law enforcement investigations, including the preservation of drug trafficking content; and third-party audits to access these functions and the transparency reports that document them. 

For more information and to download a full copy of Best Practices to Rid Social Media of Drug Trafficking on Sep. 27th, go to  https://stopthevoid.org/social-media-report The launch event is Tuesday Sep 27th, 2022 at 10am Eastern time. Register to attend here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6M-MnPykRKyFb3kweoiaMQ

Contact:

Amy Neville, President, Alexander Neville Foundation

Jaime Puerta is a United States Marine Corps veteran and the Founder and CEO of Puerta & Associates, Inc., a California-based interpreting firm.

In April 2020, Jaime's 16-year-old son, Daniel, tragically lost his life after ingesting a counterfeit pill laced with illicit fentanyl that he had unknowingly purchased through Snapchat. This devastating loss compelled Jaime to take action—transforming his grief into a nationwide mission to prevent similar tragedies.

He is the Co-Founder and President of Victims of Illicit Drugs (VOID), a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the lethal dangers of counterfeit pills and advocating for stronger policies to stop fentanyl trafficking. Jaime is also the Co-Chair of Project Facing Fentanyl, the organization behind the official National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day observed annually on August 21st.

In addition, Jaime serves as an Advisory Board Member to the Alliance to Counter Crime Online (A.C.C.O.), where he helps advance efforts to hold online platforms accountable for enabling drug trafficking and other criminal activities targeting youth.

Through VOID and his advocacy work, Jaime partners with families, lawmakers, and law enforcement to demand the removal of illicit drug trafficking from social media and other digital platforms. A powerful and effective public speaker, he shares Daniel's story with students, parents, educators, and policymakers to expose the deceptive nature of counterfeit pills and the urgent need for comprehensive education and prevention.

Jaime's tireless efforts aim to pass common-sense legislation, protect future generations, and bring national attention to the fentanyl crisis claiming thousands of lives each year.

Steve Filson was raised in Huntington Beach and has been a resident of San Bernardino since 1976 when he relocated there after his service in the U.S. Air Force. He retired in 2009 after a 31-year career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff and San Bernardino Police Department. Steve is the owner of a private security company and is a staff member of the Public Safety Academy, a public charter school in San Bernardino.

Most importantly, Steve is Jessica’s Dad. Jessica was his 29-year-old daughter killed in Redlands on January 22, 2022, along with her boyfriend, Nicholas, due to fentanyl poisoning. Steve lives in Highland, California, with his wife, Cheri, and their five-year-old granddaughter, Elara. He and other bereaved parents formed V.O.I.D., “Victims of Illicit Drugs,” as a California non-profit corporation and dedicate their efforts to education and awareness of this fentanyl scourge confronting our society.

Rocklin, CA resident Chris Didier lost his 17-year-old son, Zachary Didier, to fentanyl two days after Christmas in 2020. Zach was an Eagle Scout, soccer player, and beloved member of the community who had no history of drug use. Chris Didier has dedicated himself to raising awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, and has no doubt saved the lives of many students like Zach through his efforts. 

During his 22-year military career, Lt. Col. Didier flew the C-21 and F-15E. He currently flies the Boeing 787 for United Airlines.

Mathew Brodman is an accomplished senior executive with over 28 years of expertise in global homeland security leadership, strategic planning, and harnessing emerging technologies to address complex threats. A results-driven leader, Mathew has successfully managed a workforce of over 10,000 law enforcement professionals across more than 50 countries, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. As an accredited diplomat, he has built strong and lasting relationships within the international law enforcement and intelligence communities, while driving innovative programs and initiatives.

During his tenure as Deputy Assistant Director at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Mathew played a key leadership role in evaluating and enhancing operational performance to address evolving transnational threats. Notably, he was instrumental in designing and implementing the Department of Homeland Security's initial counter-fentanyl strategy, demonstrating his commitment to tackling the ongoing fentanyl crisis. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Mathew remains actively involved in raising awareness about the challenges posed by fentanyl. He currently serves as an advisory board member with Voices for Awareness and Facing Fentanyl.

Throughout his career, Mathew has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in building alliances, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and leveraging strategic relationships to address critical security issues. His expertise spans policy implementation, crisis management, risk mitigation, and the integration of advanced technologies to strengthen security operations.