Facebook Messenger Directs Users to Escort Agencies
Users of Facebook Messenger are likely to accidentally stumble upon risqué content even if they're not looking for them. A London-based media company found that the instant messaging service is suggesting escort agencies to unsuspecting users who type in a random number into the search bar.
In an effort to transform its Messenger app into a useful directory, Messenger has widened its search facilities to enable users to search for company pages. However, some inappropriate pages and services like escort agencies, call girl networks and abortion clinics managed to pop up alongside mainstream businesses.
For example, typing the word "girls" in the search bar would yield results like "Hot sexy girls 18+," "SuicideGirls" and "Girls Lovers King" along with the legitimate charitable organization "Educate Girls." Facebook was informed about this, and they promptly removed the unwanted pages for violating its policies.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
However, it didn't entirely solve the issue. Campaign, which discovered the anomaly, entered the digits 073872 into the search bar and was led to the "Sihori call girls service" page. When sought for comment by Daily Mail, Facebook apologized and assured it is addressing the issue.
Last December, Campaign discovered the same irregularity on Instagram wherein adult content were suggested on its Explore corner at the upper part of the screen. Explore usually shows suggested images, videos and Live Stories that users don't follow, but the porn industry somehow exploited this feature.
The newest controversy on Facebook comes as the company reels from public outcry brought about by horrific videos that were live streamed. Last week, users were shocked to watch live a 21-year-old man in Thailand hang his own 11-month-old daughter before killing himself.
A second Thai man also threatened to kill his baby, but this didn't happen. Last month, Steve Stephens, 37, posted a video showing himself shooting a 74-year-old pensioner dead. These incidents prompted Facebook to hire 3,000 moderators to check the content posted on its network.
