Prediction market platform Polymarket issued an apology Friday after allowing users to place bets on the fate of American pilots aboard a U.S. fighter jet downed over Iran. The company removed the controversial betting page following criticism.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) criticized the platform on social media Friday, highlighting the human impact of such betting markets. "They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member," Moulton wrote in a post on X, referring to the downed pilots.

The deleted betting page had allowed users to wager on the date when the U.S. pilot shot down over Iran would be found. Polymarket, which operates as a prediction market where users can bet on various future events, faced backlash for monetizing speculation about the military personnel's fate.

Polymarket has not provided details about how long the betting market was active or how many users participated before its removal. The platform's decision to allow such wagers raised questions about the ethical boundaries of prediction markets, particularly when they involve the safety and lives of military personnel.

The incident highlights ongoing debates about the appropriate scope of prediction markets and their role in allowing speculation on sensitive real-world events involving human lives.