Facebook has deactivated sites discovered by PCIJ to be facilitating the illegal adoption of babies and toddlers, but new pages can easily be created. Credit: PCIJ
By Victoria Tulad, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Jul 6 2023
It underscores the difficulty of policing the popular social media platform despite attempts by the Philippine government, civil society groups, and Meta itself, the parent company of Facebook, to crack down on illegal activity.
A quick search by PCIJ found at least 12 of these Facebook groups readily accessible in the Philippines.
Babies are offered like regular products in online stores.
“Meet up agad (We can meet immediately),” read a post by one netizen who claimed she was willing to give up her one-year-old son for just P10,000 (US$200).
PCIJ also found at least five Facebook groups that seemed to have been made outside of the country but contained posts and comments from Filipinos offering babies and even toddlers for adoption. Others inquired about how to adopt.
The online pages are competitive spaces. Several supposed birth parents have uploaded ultrasound pictures to entice couples who want to adopt.
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