We stand together to address a distressing trend on Facebook that inflicts unnecessary pain and financial harm upon grieving families and friends.

Recently, my family and I endured the sudden and devastating loss of my brother. Amidst our grief, a fraudulent profile on Facebook was set up to shamelessly advertise a fake link to a live stream of his funeral service. This happened on the day of his funeral to prey upon the vulnerability of grieving family and friends as the scam link requested payment information. Despite the profile being reported numerous times to Facebook, the profile was not removed.

This is not an isolated incident. A search for live funeral services on Facebook reveals countless fake profiles set up for the sole purpose of exploiting grieving families and friends during their most vulnerable moments. Profiles have been set up about live funeral services for babies and children that have passed, and these stories, among others, have made headlines within major publication including BBC News. Despite this attention, Facebook has taken no action.

With Facebook's vast user base of 2.8 billion individuals worldwide, it is unconscionable that such scams persist due to the platform's lax approach to combating them. The emotional distress inflicted upon grieving individuals is an intolerable consequence of Facebook's failure to address this issue promptly and effectively.

We implore Mark Zuckerberg, as the CEO of Facebook, to take immediate and decisive action against these fraudulent accounts. We request the implementation of stringent measures to detect and remove such exploitative and fraudulent content swiftly. Additionally, we urge Facebook to prioritise user safety and well-being over profit margins, demonstrating a commitment to the ethical responsibility and compassion we expect from a platform of its influence.

By signing this petition, we stand united in calling upon Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook team to uphold the integrity of their platform and protect users from the despicable exploitation of their grief. Let us send a clear message that the safety and dignity of Facebook users will not be compromised.