Facebook to Ban Private Gun Sales, report says

Facebook and Instagram are going to ban users’ ability to organize private gun sales online.

The new measure applies to public posts, Facebook won’t be scanning through your private messages to uncover gun sales. Also important: this doesn’t apply to posts from licensed gun dealers, which will continue to be permitted on the social network.

In a statement, Facebook head of product policy Monika Bickert said, “Over the last two years, more and more people have been using Facebook to discover products and to buy and sell things to one another. We are continuing to develop, test and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are updating our regulated goods policies to reflect this evolution.”

In 2014, Facebook and Instagram began limiting posts discussing the sale of firearms to users over the age of 18, both services also urged buyers and sellers to comply with local laws. “We will not permit people to post offers to sell regulated items that indicate a willingness to evade or help others evade the law,” Facebook said at the tine. Here’s how it worked before the hard ban:

Any posts reported to Facebook that do reference the private sale of guns will be restricted to viewers who have told the social network they are 18 or older, and the authors of such posts will be warned via a message to “comply with relevant laws and regulations.” Pages that Facebook classes as “primarily used by people to promote the private sale of commonly regulated goods or services” will now need to include language that “clearly reminds people of the importance of understanding and complying with relevant laws and regulations,” and will only be open to users who have indicated they are over 18.

Those policies already prohibit trade in marijuana, prescription pills and other illicit substances. Firearms are now to be added to the list.

A New York Times report cites increased pressure from the Obama administration and gun safety groups to stem the tide of posts soliciting guns as reason for Facebook’s decision.

Agencies/Canadajournal