Facebook Finally Does Something About People Selling Guns Illegally On Its Network
The social media giant bows to pressure from anti-violence group.
By Sadho Ram — 06 Mar 2014, 02:48 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Facebook Disclosed New Restrictions On Posts That Promote Guns To Minors Or Propose Illegal Gun Sales On The Social Network Amid Pressure From Groups Favouring Gun Control
Facebook Inc. on Wednesday announced new restrictions on promoting guns on the social network, amid pressure from groups favoring gun control.
wsj.com
Facebook Head of Global Policy Management Monika Bickert wrote in a company blog post that the social media giant will ban posts “that indicate a willingness to evade or help others evade the law,” such as offering to sell firearms without background checks.
bizjournals.com
Facebook Will Also Enact Stricter Age Limits On All Posts On Gun Sales
Facebook will notify users offering to sell guns of relevant laws and limit the visibility of posts and pages about gun sales to users 18 and older.
reuters.com
A “gun for sale” post on Facebook was uncovered by the New York attorney general’s office.
Image via buzzfeedWhen the company is notified about individual posts or groups offering guns for sale, it will remind users to abide by relevant laws. Similar educational messages will be sent to users searching for guns on the Facebook-owned photo-sharing service Instagram.
engadget.com
Facebook Said It Would Rely On Users To Report Posts And Pages Offering To Sell Guns
It said the changes will be implemented over the next few weeks. “We will respond to posts that signal attempts to evade the law so we can delete them,” a spokesman said
wsj.com
Facebook and Instagram announced new policies Wednesday to stop the illegal sale of guns on their sites.
Image via nydailynewsThe Move Comes After Criticism From Gun Control Advocates And A 6-Week Campaign By The Advocacy Groups Mayors Against Illegal Guns And Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America
The groups planned to deliver more than 130,000 petitions seeking a crackdown on posts about illegal gun sales to Facebook headquarters before the company agreed to the new policies.
bizjournals.com
Last week, technology news site VentureBeat reported that it arranged to buy a gun illegally on Facebook in 15 minutes, and The Wall Street Journal reported assault-weapons parts and concealed-carry weapon holsters have been advertised to teens on Facebook.
wsj.com
Illegal gun activity on Facebook “is in many cases blatant,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who also had been talking to Facebook about its gun policies, called the changes “probably the strongest step ever taken to end” illegal firearms sales on social media.
reuters.com
New York Attoirney General Eric Schneiderman and a major gun control group pushed Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram to crack down on people who use their sites to sell guns illegally.
Image via nydailynewsIn The Blog Post On Wednesday, Bickert Maintained That Facebook Is Not A Sales Platform, Instead Comparing The Site With 1 Billion-Plus Users To "A Bulletin Board At A Supermarket"
She also underscored First Amendment concerns that can become entangled with questionable activity on social media.
bizjournals.com
"While we've recently heard specific concerns from people about offers for the private sales of firearms, this is one of many areas where we face a difficult challenge balancing individuals' desire to express themselves on our services," Bickert wrote.
While Monika Bickert said, “We’ve Never Allowed Advertising The Sale Of Guns And Ammunition”, Several Gun-Shop Owners Said They Had Advertised On Facebook, And Were Puzzled By The Rules
“They didn’t have a problem taking my money, and now all of a sudden they have a problem with my business,” said Chris Kurzadkowski, founder of Battle Rifle Co. of Houston, which makes and sells assault rifles.
wsj.comMr. Kurzadkowski said Facebook’s ad policies on guns “really frustrated me.” He said Battle Rifle has advertised its Facebook page and promoted posts on Facebook, but Facebook had rejected a promoted post that praised the Marine Corps.
Sandra Simpson, co-owner of B&S Guns and Ammo of Lufkin, Texas, said Facebook ran a monthslong ad campaign for her gun store in 2013. Her Facebook page posts photos of guns for sale at her store along with prices of the guns.
wsj.com