Facebook Cracks Down on Gun Posts with New Regulations

Facebook Cracks Down on Gun Posts with New Regulations

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Mar 06, 2014

Facebook cracks down on gun postWhen it comes to anything security related, I try to stay as up-to-date as possible, but honestly, selling guns on Facebook and Instagram?! I find this odd because that’s the last place I would look if I wanted to buy anything online, choosing to find my bargains at places like Etsy.com, Amazon and sometimes, Ebay. Besides, what happened to needing a background check to purchase a gun? Or, what about having to be a licensed firearms dealer to sell them? How do you virtually check either of these? Impossible.

Social network giant, Facebook, has outlined some new rules to stop users from illegally promoting the sale of private firearms on their network by:

  • Limiting posts on Facebook and Instagram that discuss the sale of firearms to users that are over 18 years of age; (easy to manipulate your age when signing up for a Facebook account)
  • Preventing the posting of offers to sell regulated items that would help people evade the law; (Who or what technology is going to be used to actively police such a large network?)
  • Warning people promoting the private sale of weapons to comply with relevant laws; (Most people skip over warning messages anyway); and
  • Introducing “in-app education” on Instagram that will remind firearm sellers to check their local laws to make sure transactions are legitimate. (Are people really going to pay attention to this?)

Facebook worked with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Sandy Hook Promise, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America to develop these new regulations; however, opposition groups are saying that Facebook caved from the pressure of the aforementioned groups and that these new policies unconstitutionally limit the rights of gun owners.

Okay, readers, it’s time for you to voice your opinion.

Do you agree with Facebook’s new policies as it relates to firearms? Or, do you think that even with these regulations, if someone really wanted to purchase a firearm, they are going to do it anyway?

Do you think Facebook’s new regulations violate your Second Amendment rights?

Image credit: Thinglass / Shutterstock.com

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • 2025 Security LeadHER Conference Program Announced

    ASIS International and the Security Industry Association (SIA) – the leading membership associations for the security industry – have announced details for the 2025 Security LeadHER conference, a special event dedicated to advancing, connecting and empowering women in the security profession. The third annual Security LeadHER conference will be held Monday, June 9 – Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. This carefully crafted program represents a comprehensive professional development opportunity for women in security this year. To view the full lineup at this year’s event, please visit securityleadher.org. Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Report: 82 Percent of Phishing Emails Used AI

    KnowBe4, the world-renowned cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its Phishing Threat Trend Report, detailing key trends, new data, and threat intelligence insights surrounding phishing threats targeting organizations at the start of 2025. Read Now

  • NRF Supports Federal Bill to Thwart Retail Crime

    The National Retail Federation recently announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. The act was introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio. Read Now

  • ISC West 2025 Brings Almost 29,000 Industry Professionals to Las Vegas

    ISC West 2025, organized by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s leading comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance.