- A new report says Facebook is riddled with groups that allow people to buy or rent Driver accounts for ride-share services and delivery services. This could present safety issues for customers. The Tech Transparency Project says it found 80 groups with up to 800,000 members. Facebook said it is reviewing the report and will remove any content that violates its policies.
A new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) is raising new safety concerns about Facebook, accusing the social media company of hosting several “black market” pages where people can buy or rent driver accounts for a number of consumer-facing companies.
As many as 800,000 Facebook users belong to 80 groups the TTP identified that let users trade driver accounts for Uber, DoorDash, and other ride-share and delivery companies. That lets people acquire the accounts without going through the screening process drivers are normally subjected to. And it raises both safety concerns for customers and fears of possible identity theft for riders or people who place orders.
“Renting” an Uber Eats account, according to a Jan. 3, 2025, post, went for as little as $65. Most people listing accounts asked prospective renters or buyers to contact them directly, to keep the dealings out of public view.
Meta told Fortune it is reviewing the report and will remove any content that violates its policies, which prohibit the “buying, selling, or trading of Personal Identifiable Information.”
TTP said the existence of these groups indicated content moderation on Facebook was not being properly enforced, as many of the accounts had obvious names such as “Doordash & Uber Account For Rent And Sell Group.” (Facebook denied the issue had anything to do with the enforcement changes it announced in January.)
“Meta’s recent announcement that it would scale back policy enforcement on its platforms made clear that its automated systems would continue to root out illegal activity—including fraud,” the group wrote. “But TTP’s latest investigation found that Facebook is not meeting this lower bar for content moderation. It is allowing a thriving black market in driver accounts for Uber, DoorDash, and other rideshare and delivery services.”
To become a driver for most ride-share or delivery services, you’ll need a valid ID or driver’s license and insurance. You also must undergo a background check. Uber and DoorDash policies prohibit sharing driver accounts.
This isn’t the first time the TTP has accused Facebook of allowing the sale of materials that should not be available. In 2022, it issued a report that found sellers offering packages of documents used for account verification, including government ID cards, passports, and Social Security cards. Those accounts were later deleted by Meta. And last year, the group released a report that detailed over 450 ads running on Instagram and Facebook that were selling pharmaceutical and other drugs, including images of “piles of pills and powders, or bricks of cocaine.”