The gun debate has certainly heated up during the past decade. Who should have them, who shouldn’t, who can sell them, what they can sell, not to mention open carry laws. Everyone seems to have strong feelings one way or the other regarding firearms, apparently even Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook is now banning private sales of guns on both the social media site as well as its Instagram photo sharing site.
Facebook is not necessarily a website involved in sales of any kind, but many people connect with other gun enthusiasts and use messenger as a means of completing sales. The site has already banned the sale of illegal drugs, marijuana, and other pharmaceutical drugs, and it is now adding firearm sales to their list.
This ban does not apply to licensed gun dealers or gun clubs, only private sales between individuals.
With at least 1.6 billion users, Facebook is perhaps the perfect “server” for the negotiation of gun sales. Adding firearms to their list of banned items really puts Facebook in the spotlight of a very heated debate, especially after the mass shootings that occurred late in 2015 in San Bernardino, California. Once President Obama gave a speech regarding the need to tighten the enforcement of gun sales, many individuals openly stated that they would turn to the internet, and sites such as Facebook, to conduct their gun sales.
Of course, Facebook cannot police every single post made on their site and they appear to be aware of this fact as well. Spokespersons for the world’s largest social media site stated that they hoped that users will be willing to report violations or suspicious activity. In addition to banning individuals who violate the rules, Facebook says that they will work with law enforcement in any way necessary.
For every person who is unhappy about Facebook’s new policy, there is another who is pleased. Eric T. Schneiderman, attorney general for New York, has praised the company’s decision. He has attempted for years to pass tougher laws and restrictions regarding illegal gun sales on websites such as Facebook.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has made hard line decisions regarding firearms. In 2014, the company said it would limit gun sales and attempted to protect minors from seeing pages that advertised guns for sale. Perhaps these decisions are being reached because Facebook is also being pressured by gun safety groups to stop unlicensed gun sales on their site. In December of 2014, Facebook was presented with evidence that Brian Harleman of Ohio, shot and wounded an ex-girlfriend and killed the woman’s daughter before committing suicide with a gun he purchased off another Facebook user. Harleman was a convicted felon who was unable to buy a gun through licensed dealers who require background checks.
Source: CNBC
xThe gun debate has certainly heated up during the past decade. Who should have them, who shouldn’t, who can sell them, what they can sell, not to mention open carry laws. Everyone seems to have strong feelings one way or the other regarding firearms, apparently even Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook is now banning private sales of guns on both the social media site as well as its Instagram photo sharing site.
Facebook is not necessarily a website involved in sales of any kind, but many people connect with other gun enthusiasts and use messenger as a means of completing sales. The site has already banned the sale of illegal drugs, marijuana, and other pharmaceutical drugs, and it is now adding firearm sales to their list.
This ban does not apply to licensed gun dealers or gun clubs, only private sales between individuals.
History
With at least 1.6 billion users, Facebook is perhaps the perfect “server” for the negotiation of gun sales. Adding firearms to their list of banned items really puts Facebook in the spotlight of a very heated debate, especially after the mass shootings that occurred late in 2015 in San Bernardino, California. Once President Obama gave a speech regarding the need to tighten the enforcement of gun sales, many individuals openly stated that they would turn to the internet, and sites such as Facebook, to conduct their gun sales.
Of course, Facebook cannot police every single post made on their site and they appear to be aware of this fact as well. Spokespersons for the world’s largest social media site stated that they hoped that users will be willing to report violations or suspicious activity. In addition to banning individuals who violate the rules, Facebook says that they will work with law enforcement in any way necessary.
For every person who is unhappy about Facebook’s new policy, there is another who is pleased. Eric T. Schneiderman, attorney general for New York, has praised the company’s decision. He has attempted for years to pass tougher laws and restrictions regarding illegal gun sales on websites such as Facebook.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has made hard line decisions regarding firearms. In 2014, the company said it would limit gun sales and attempted to protect minors from seeing pages that advertised guns for sale. Perhaps these decisions are being reached because Facebook is also being pressured by gun safety groups to stop unlicensed gun sales on their site. In December of 2014, Facebook was presented with evidence that Brian Harleman of Ohio, shot and wounded an ex-girlfriend and killed the woman’s daughter before committing suicide with a gun he purchased off another Facebook user. Harleman was a convicted felon who was unable to buy a gun through licensed dealers who require background checks.
Source: CNBC
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