Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’s statement on Facebook policy change on gun sales:
Facebook announced today that the company and its popular photo-sharing subsidiary Instagram will take significant steps to block potentially illegal firearm sales through their platforms. For the first time, the sites will delete reported posts offering to buy or sell guns without background checks – a key indicator that users may be seeking to avoid the life-saving checks that bar minors, felons, the seriously mentally ill and other dangerous people from buying guns. The sites will also block users under the age of 18 from viewing reported private gun sales posts from individual sellers and any pages used primarily for private gun offers . . .
The Facebook announcement follows a month-long campaign by Moms Demand Action that quickly drew more than 230,000 supporters who urged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom to address the growing number of illegal gun sales facilitated by their networks. Direct discussions took place between officials of Facebook and Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan national coalition founded by former Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Thomas Menino. The moms and mayors’ groups merged in December 2013 to form the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States. This is the second corporate victory for Moms Demand Action, which last year mounted a campaign on Starbucks that resulted in a statement by CEO Howard Schultz that guns were no longer welcome in his stores.
In response to the announcement, Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts and Mayors Against Illegal Guns chairman John Feinblatt issued the below statements and will speak on a media conference call today with Facebook’s Head of Global Policy Management Monika Bickert and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at 1:00 PM EST to discuss the policy changes – please email [email protected] for details on the call.
Watts: “American moms are gratified that Facebook and Instagram have agreed to take meaningful steps to prevent illegal gun sales to children and dangerous people on its platforms.
“Our campaign showed how easy it is for minors, felons and other dangerous people to get guns online – that’s why moms and more than 230,000 Americans signed our petition, tweeted and used social media to ask Facebook and Instagram to do something about gun sales facilitated on their networks. We are happy that these companies listened to American mothers and we believe these changes are a major step toward making sure people who buy or sell guns on their platforms know the law, and follow it. Moms are particularly pleased that Facebook will block minors from seeing posts about gun sales or trades, and that we can be confident that these social networks will be safe spaces for our kids.
“There’s still so much to be done – by corporations, by Congress, and by local leaders – to keep guns out of dangerous hands. Moms have momentum and we’re moving the country toward a culture of gun safety one company, one legislator, one law at a time. We’re going to keep applying pressure to corporations and political leaders until they do more to reduce the gun violence that plagues our country. We’re not going away, and we will not stop until we’ve done everything we can to keep our children and communities safe.”
Feinblatt: “Our campaign exposed how simple it is for dangerous people to get their hands on guns, no questions asked – not only on Facebook and Instagram – but across the Internet. Unfortunately, the ‘private sale loophole’ allows anonymous parties to sell guns without background checks, and there are simply too many ways for criminals, minors and other prohibited gun purchasers to get them easily – with just the click of a mouse. We are grateful that Facebook and Instagram are making major moves to prevent these sales from happening via their platforms. We will remain vigilant in our efforts to draw attention to these critical safety issues and hold corporations and political leaders accountable to do their part to prevent gun violence.”
Among the significant policy changes Facebook and Instagram have agreed to implement to prevent easy access to guns on its platforms are the following:
- Facebook will block all children (under 18) from viewing reported posts from individual gun sellers or gun pages where guns are sold or traded.
- Facebook will allow users to report posts that may facilitate or promote potentially illegal gun activity.
- Facebook will delete reported posts that indicate that the seller will not conduct a background check or that a buyer is seeking to avoid a background check.
- Facebook will delete reported posts that indicate that a seller is willing to sell across state lines.
- Facebook will continue to report to law enforcement any gun-related posts that may pose a threat to public safety.
- Facebook will require private sellers who are reported for offering a gun for sale to acknowledge the relevant laws that apply to them – including that background checks may be required before completing a sale. These sellers will be blocked by Facebook from continuing to the site until they acknowledge this policy.
- All Facebook Pages and groups must prominently state that sellers and buyers must comply with all applicable laws, including conducting a background check where required. Facebook will take down reported pages and groups where guns are sold until the owner of the page acknowledges this policy and includes this information prominently at the top of the page. Facebook’s Help Center will remind sellers that they may conduct background checks for safety purposes even where not legally required.
- When someone searches on Instagram for a hashtag related to gun offers (e.g. #guns4sale) they will be required to acknowledge the relevant laws that apply to them in this area before they see search results.
- Facebook will provide public education ad space targeted at users interested in firearm-related content to ensure they know about the laws related to gun sales. Moms Demand Action and Mayors Against Illegal Guns will provide content for these ads.
Facebook and Instagram’s policy changes were made in response to a campaign by Moms Demand Action launched on January 27, which was joined by partner organization SumOfUs and promoted on Change.org. As part of the campaign, Moms released a “closer look” video to riff on Facebook’s 10th anniversary “look back” videos to explain how Facebook’s previous policies made it easy for guns to be bought and sold online without criminal background checks. The video has been viewed nearly 400,000 times.
Moms also brought to light cases of minors and felons buying guns on Facebook.
Previous research by Mayors Against Illegal Guns found that criminals are flocking to the internet to buy guns – on one site, one in 30 prospective gun buyers on online had committed crimes that prohibited them from possessing firearms.
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to change laws regarding drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America was created to build support for common-sense gun reforms. The nonpartisan grassroots movement of American mothers is demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. In just one year, the organization has more than 140,000 members with a chapter in every state in the country. The group recently joined forces with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter @MomsDemand.
Well-written and informative. Thanks and good luck, neighbor.
well you may as well shut wal mart down, cause they sell guns close to the toy department, while your at it, outlaw TV s, they show guns, hell may as well only have foster parents, because a lot of parents take there young kids hunting. screw face book, I bet there stock falls and I hope a new sight comes quick in there place
The only way that the smug solipsists at Facebook could enact a security model that would do what they’re claiming is either by employing a veritable army of smarmy smurfs to read everyone’s content, or they’d have to know even more about their users than they do now (ie, they’d have to start verifying age claims for accounts).
Either way, it should be abundantly clear to rational adults that Facebook is a waste of time, and a self-inflicted invasion of your privacy. I had an account years ago. After about one year, I deleted every photo, every comment, every action I took on FB, then deleted my account.
Oh noes,this is tragedy! There is nowhere else on teh entire interwebs to sell stuff except FB!
Was it posted to their F/B page?
Given that I’ve never used Facebook and likely never will, color me…indifferent.
I use Gunbroker to buy sell firearms in any case.
The kids these days aren’t into Farcebook, just the older crowd, supposedly. Farcebook is a farce, which I hope will go the way of Myspace. Never had an account and never will.
If I were Facebook’s PR people, this release would have me pretty ticked off.
First of all, FB didn’t say they would delete posts offering to sell across state line. They only said they would do so when someone offered to sell across state lines without shipping to an FFL, which is against the law. Second, I got the impression from FB’s statement that they were under the impression that it was against the law to sell without a background check. If that’s the case then they may read here that they’ve been misled as to the actual law.
Hopefully it will wake them up to the fact that the gun control lobby is full of liars. If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
My thinking was long these lines as well. More saber-rattling by MDA for the victory of a battle that never happened.
LMAO
Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking the time and
actual effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never manage to get anything done.
So apparently they didn’t read Facebook’s official statement.
Why is the friggin Mom’s press release longer than the FB terms of service? I may have nodded off a third of the way through.
This is my greatest source of joy….
Facebook will block all children (under 18) from viewing reported posts from individual gun sellers or gun pages where guns are sold or traded.
Because NO ONE has EVER lied about their age on the intertubez in order to access a website they shouldn’t…..
It may be a poorly worded on FB’s part but at least the crux of it is “If you are obeying the law, then its ok” and I am good with that position.
A website needs to be created where individauls can report the address, owning agency of a police take home car. If a database is created that has where LEOs call home, maybe they will be less arrogant.
Here what funny you can advertise porn all over Facebook they allow it. Yet becuase guns are what they are there not gone allow it. Yea double edge sword.
I always found it interesting that having your relationship status set to “Married” did not preclude one from getting “Meet Local Singles” ads.
You can tell by the ads exactly what Facebook thinks of you.
Apparently they think I should attend Devry University, take steroids and cheat on my wife.
Shameless advertising going a little too far.
Doesn’t matter how small the “victory”, or even if they’re just getting booted off of private property. They’ll still try to spin this like they just saved the world.
“Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.”
Psalm 144: 1 (NIV)
I bought an XD9 Subcompact in OD Green about 4 years back as my first gun. I’ve been using it as my daily carry, as well as competing in a PPC style pistol league with it ever since. I’m well over 7000 rounds through the gun and I have zero complaints.
Around the 4500 round mark I started having light primer strikes. I called Springfield and they quickly corrected my issue. I had been cleaning the gun after every range trip and had been dropping oil into the striker channel. The oil then absorbs the burnt powder residue and turns into a thick sludge preventing a full power strike from the striker. Cleaned it out with rubbing alcohol, blew it dry with an air duster, put it back together bone dry, and never oiled there again. Not a hiccup sense. Moral of the story, DO NOT OIL THE STRIKER CHANNEL.
I’ve worked my way from a total newbie, to a consistent 2nd or 3rd place in the league all with this little 3 inch subcompact. I even took first place in the end of season shoot-off competition this year. I love this pistol, and I’d recommend it to any new shooter. Now if I could just get my hands on a service model to match my subbie, my collection would be complete.
What part of “shall not be infringed” is difficult to comprehend? Guns are not cars, even though cars are involved in more deaths while being operated by people, so the entire registration/insurance argument is moot.
Walther must have hacked TTAG to unload those evil P22’s they sold to Colombia. If we take the evidence then the case is over.
Of course if it was an illegal PPQ or any other real gun we might actually take it.
That said, stop it.
Mr. Fineman, I am truly sorry your son was murdered. I am also sorry that you believe that screwing with my 2nd Amendment rights will assuage your hurt and anger. It hasn’t, it doesn’t and never will.
In other words…”Dear Bloomie and Shan-Shan, we can buy and sell you both all day long, just like Starbucks can. We’re not going to alienate anybody, but if need be, we will simply remind them too follow the rules they already know. Now please go bother someone who actually cares about your pathetic little crusade. Have a nice day…Zuck”
is that a bathroom selfie?
One of the worst crashes I worked was a drunk, illegal alien who killed a mother of 5 on Mother’s Day.
1-he was here illegally
2-he did not have a license
3- car was his but not registered
4- no insurance either
5- he was driving drunk
All the laws on the books didn’t do squat.
I socked a kid in the face in 4th grade and I got “suspended” for the entirety of the rest of that day. I basically got an early release for punching a bully. I’m glad I didn’t point my level 2 firearm look-alike at him and say “poof”.
This is EXACTLY why I carry my $600 Ruger instead of a $3,000 Wilson….
“Facebook will provide public education ad space targeted at users interested in firearm-related content to ensure they know about the laws related to gun sales. Moms Demand Action and Mayors Against Illegal Guns will provide content for these ads.”
Why doesn’t the NRA or other pro-gun group step up and provide some content for these ads. Then we can see if Facebook will be fair and balanced on this issue.
Safety while hunting is no different than safety in other sports: gymnastics football motocross skateboard ramp jumps snowboarding. You can kill yourself deader than a doornail with one dumb mistake.
Scar.
I know Christopher Baker, he taught me handgun safety, a requirement in Hawaii to purchase a handgun. I am grateful he moved to Hawaii and began this lawsuit. You can find him on facebook under Hawaii Defense Foundation.
Guys people need to stop saying nanny. Lets instead call it what it really is COMMI. After all it does attack the majority of constitutional rights.
Assume Facebook notifies law enforcement about potential illegal gun activity and the ATF raids the home, someone in the home is killed or injured by the Narraganset militant wannabes in the Army in combat gear and it’s determined no illegal activity took place. I want to be on the jury for tort damages to Facebook.