Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s MP has vowed to tackle the owner of Facebook over an intermittent drugs warning message displayed when mobile phone users type the word ‘Highbridge’ into the social media website.
Highbridge community groups and businesses have voiced their concern in recent weeks that when entering the town’s name into Facebook, the platform generates the warning message: ‘If you see the sale of drugs please report it’.
Customers were then unable to click through to Highbridge Facebook pages, hurting trade and reducing engagement with community events and groups.
A spokeswoman for community group Our Highbridge told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are very concerned that local residents are unable to search for our page on Facebook. This means that people are missing out on events that are free and open to all.”
“Any business or organisation in Highbridge that uses Facebook as a means of promotion is being affected by this and we feel it is unfair to a growing town with a great community spirit that is really beginning to thrive.”
MP Ashley Fox told Burnham-On-Sea.com during his visit to Saturday’s Highbridge Christmas lights switch-on: “I am appalled that Meta are allowing this to happen on their platform so that when people search Highbridge they get a warning message about drugs.”
“This is so damaging to this local community, so I’m going to be in touch with Meta and ensure that Facebook take this down and that we restore community businesses’ ability to communicate with their customers. I’m on this.”
Burnham-On-Sea.com has invited Meta, owner of Facebook, to comment and will update this article when a response is received.
