Senator Marsha Blackburn, US Senator for Tennessee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Senator Marsha Blackburn, US Senator for Tennessee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee has addressed a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, following reports that Facebook has been a platform for black market groups with over 22,000 members. These groups allegedly sell access to rideshare and delivery service accounts, enabling individuals to bypass necessary background checks and driver's license requirements.
Senator Blackburn's previous investigation into the issue of illegal immigrants accessing delivery service accounts led to policy updates and enhanced security measures by companies like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. She expressed her concerns regarding Meta's failure to address similar issues on its platform, stating, "The unvetted use of these accounts is incredibly dangerous for American consumers, specifically women and children, and I urge you to immediately remove each of these Facebook groups and better enforce existing rules against fraud and deceptive practices."
In April 2024, Blackburn led a probe into the account security measures of food delivery services after reports of illegal immigrants acquiring access to legitimate courier accounts. She highlighted that improved measures were taken following her investigation: "I was glad to see DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats implement more robust driver verification processes following my investigation." However, she criticized Meta for allowing groups like "UBER ACCOUNT FOR RENT WORLDWIDE," which had over 22,000 members, to operate.
These concerns are significant and have tangible impacts on Americans. Blackburn provided an example of a case where a woman was allegedly raped after a mismatch in delivery personnel from an Uber Eats order. Blackburn asserted that instead of protecting users, Meta seemingly prioritizes profit over consumer welfare, stating, "Instead of allowing Facebook to remain one of the premier sites for fraud and abuse, you must do more to remove these black market groups and protect Americans."
Senator Blackburn's advocacy for changes in delivery service account security aims to protect vulnerable groups, namely women, children, and the elderly, who rely on these services for safety and security.
To read the full letter from Blackburn to Zuckerberg, [click here](#).