Facebook puts ads on pages illegally selling animal parts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook is being accused of violating its responsibilities as a publicly traded company by failing to stop illicit traders using its service for illegal activity.

The charge comes in a secret complaint filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A copy of the complaint was provided to The Associated Press.

Facebook displays advertisements for well-known American corporations on group pages operated by overseas wildlife traffickers illegally selling the body parts of threatened animals. The body parts include elephant ivory, rhino horn and tiger teeth.

The complaint was initially filed in August on behalf of an undercover informant represented by a nonprofit legal advocacy group, the National Whistleblower Center. Its executive director, Stephen Kohn, says Facebook "is not an innocent bystander to these crimes."

Facebook didn't respond to requests for comment.