Following intervention by the U.S. Department of Justice, Meta Platforms, Inc. removed a Facebook group page on Tuesday that was allegedly used to "dox and target" Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago.
Attorney General Pam Bondi disclosed the Facebook page removal in a post on X platform, stating that the Department of Justice "will continue working with tech companies to remove platforms that could be used by extremists to incite immediate violence against federal law enforcement officers."
A Meta Platforms, Inc. spokesperson confirmed that the tech giant had removed the Facebook group page but declined to comment on the group's size or specific details that constituted grounds for removal.
"The group was removed for violating our policy on 'coordinated harm,'" the Meta spokesperson said in a statement, also referencing the company's policies regarding "coordinated harm and incitement to crime."
Meta's removal action follows similar measures taken by competitors Apple and Google, both of which recently removed applications that could potentially be used to anonymously report the whereabouts of ICE agents and other law enforcement personnel.
Approximately two weeks ago, under pressure from Bondi, Apple removed the "ICEBlock" application. Bondi stated at the time that the app was "designed to put ICE agents in danger while they are simply performing their duties."
Apple said in a statement that the removal of the ICEBlock app was based on information provided by law enforcement regarding alleged "security risks."
Google's app store had never listed the ICEBlock application, and the company stated in October that although the Department of Justice had never contacted them, Google had "removed similar applications for violating company policies."
ICEBlock app developer Joshua Aaron, in an interview, criticized both Apple and the White House, comparing his application to navigation apps like Waze, which allow drivers to report law enforcement locations to avoid speeding tickets.
"The essence of this matter is that this administration is stripping away the fundamental constitutional rights we enjoy in this country, while those in power are capitulating to government demands," Aaron stated.