Facebook Cracks Down On Gun Toters

Facebook has announced plans to crack down on dodgy firearms dealers working on the social network, without outlawing the promotion of gun sales.

The social network said it would be providing in-app education on Instagram for those searching for information on guns.

Facebook said it would not allow users to post offers to sell regulated items “that indicate a willingness to evade or help others evade the law”. Private sellers in the US will not be allowed to say “no background check required” when pushing weapons over Facebook, nor can they offer to deal across state boundaries without the right license.

Facebook to warn gun sellers

Any time a user promotes a “commonly regulated” product and it is reported to the social network, Facebook will contact them to warn them about staying within the boundaries of the law.

“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, and recognising that this speech may have consequences elsewhere,” Facebook said in a statement.

“Facebook and Instagram will continue to remove content, and notify law enforcement where appropriate, when we are notified about things shared on our services that suggest a direct, credible risk to others’ safety. We will also continue to strictly enforce our advertising policies.

“We believe these collective efforts represent the right approach in balancing people’s desire to express themselves while promoting a safe, responsible community.”

Facebook has had to deal with a number of controversies over the content on its site in recent years, recently having to decide whether or not to leave footage of beheadings on the site.

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