Although Facebook and its Instagram photo-sharing service do not participate in outright gun sales, the sites have been a forum for negotiations.
The
California-based social network on Friday updated its policy for
managing regulated goods to prohibit people who aren't gun dealers from
using Facebook to offer guns for sale or negotiate private sales of
firearms.
"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," Facebook head of product policy Monika Bickert said in an email response to AFP.
"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," Facebook head of product policy Monika Bickert said in an email response to AFP.
The
policy change, however, will not affect licensed gun dealers who tout
their wares on the social network, which is used by 1.59 billion people
monthly.
Facebook has similar restrictions on regulated goods such as prescription and illegal drugs. Facebook and Instagram in 2014 restricted posts about buying or selling guns to users 18 years of age or older.
Facebook has similar restrictions on regulated goods such as prescription and illegal drugs. Facebook and Instagram in 2014 restricted posts about buying or selling guns to users 18 years of age or older.
The
social network has been under political pressure in the United States
to prevent posts that could result in people sidestepping gun-buying
laws or background checks.
Gun control groups - some of which have been pressuring Facebook for years to tighten firearms sales on the site - were jubilant about the policy change.
Gun control groups - some of which have been pressuring Facebook for years to tighten firearms sales on the site - were jubilant about the policy change.
"A
big thumbs up to Facebook for taking this important step!," said Dan
Gross, president of The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, in a
statement issued after the announcement.
"The Brady Campaign urged Facebook to bar unlicensed gun sales in 2014 and we are happy to see that Facebook has finally adopted our policy," he said, adding that the move "will help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people."
"The Brady Campaign urged Facebook to bar unlicensed gun sales in 2014 and we are happy to see that Facebook has finally adopted our policy," he said, adding that the move "will help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people."
An
anti-gun group, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said it
was the fruition of two years of concerted pressure on Facebook by it
and other groups.
Those efforts, said "Moms" founder Shannon Watts, led to "new policies to curb children's exposure to guns and to clarify state laws around selling and buying guns online."
Those efforts, said "Moms" founder Shannon Watts, led to "new policies to curb children's exposure to guns and to clarify state laws around selling and buying guns online."
"Our
continued relationship with Facebook resulted in today's even stronger
stance, which will prevent dangerous people from getting guns and save
American lives," Watts said.
An affiliated organisation fighting for stiffer gun control in the United States, Everytown for Gun Safety, said it had launched an undercover investigation which showed that criminals often flock to the Internet when making illicit firearms purchases.
By: AFP (San Francisco).
Review: Emerging Market Formulations & Research Unit, Flagship Records.
For The #FacebookTeam
An affiliated organisation fighting for stiffer gun control in the United States, Everytown for Gun Safety, said it had launched an undercover investigation which showed that criminals often flock to the Internet when making illicit firearms purchases.
By: AFP (San Francisco).
Review: Emerging Market Formulations & Research Unit, Flagship Records.
For The #FacebookTeam