Snap is launching an in-app tool to educate users searching for drug-related key words on Snapchat about the dangers of drugs and is working on tools for parents to help keep teenagers safe on the service, the company said on Thursday.
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The announcement comes after a public safety alert from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) last week, which warned about an increase in fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine often sold on social media and e-commerce sites.
Snap, which this summer faced a protest at its headquarters from parents whose children had died after taking counterfeit pills, said it had in the last year grown its team that handles law enforcement requests to improve response times.
It had also worked to improve its proactive detection capabilities to remove drug dealers from the platform.
"We have heard devastating stories from families impacted by this crisis, including cases where fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills were purchased from drug dealers on Snapchat," Snap said in a blog post on Thursday. "We will work tirelessly to do better and do more to keep our community safe."
Snap said it had developed a video ad campaign and a new filter to raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit pills.
