The Facebook Marketplace platform is a valuable tool to connect users around the world. However, it can also be abused by bad actors looking to sell drugs, guns, and other illegal products. And according to a new report from global nonprofit group Avaaz, this Facebook platform plays host to a “thriving” market for the illegal wildlife trade.

Wildlife trafficking is the fourth largest illicit global trade, with animals like tiger cubs, leopards, monkeys, and parrots being traded and sold around the world. And according to researchers, it was easy to find these animals for sale on Facebook “in a matter of clicks.” To make things worse, the Facebook algorithm than began to suggest more of these groups to the researchers, in effect actively promoting this illegal trade. That’s why this report has led experts and lawmakers to call on the social media giant to step up and stop this activity.

“Not only does Facebook know that wildlife trafficking is thriving on their platform – they have known about it for years. Yet, they continue to blatantly ignore the problem — or worse — enable it, violating even their own self-professed stand against criminal activity and physical harm to animals. The findings of this investigation are duly noted,” congressman Raúl Grijalva said.

Of course, Facebook already has rules in place banning this illegal trade. Now it’s just a matter of strengthening its enforcement measures — which always seems to be the biggest hurdle for the company to overcome.

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