WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today pressed Meta Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook Marketplace’s lax enforcement of its own gun sales ban on its e-commerce platform. According to details first reported by The Washington Post, users who violate the platform’s ban on gun sales are given ten ‘strikes’ before they are removed from the platform, allowing for repeated violations that could still result in the sale of untraceable and dangerous firearms.
“According to the Post’s reporting, despite previous assurances that Facebook would prohibit firearms sales on its social media platforms, Facebook allows gun sellers and buyers to violate its policy 10 times before Facebook removes them from its platform,” wrote the senators in a letter to Mark Zuckerberg. “If this reporting is accurate, it is deeply disturbing and calls into question Facebook’s commitment to stopping online gun sales and its representations to us about its policies.
The senators have written Facebook in the past about its facilitation of online gun sales. For example, in 2016, after Facebook announced a ban on private gun sales, when it was discovered that users were still engaged in those transactions; and in 2020, when a report documented Facebook’s failure to track down and remove gun sellers who simply moved to new private groups when Facebook shut them down.
“Now, with the United States facing an unrelenting gun violence epidemic, Facebook reportedly continues to allow users to sell firearms on its platform after repeated violations of its ban on peer-to-peer firearms sales. An unenforced ban is no ban at all, and simply invites more of the purportedly prohibited conduct,” added the senators.
The senators expressed deep concerns that gun sales on Facebook — or advertised sales posted online but negotiated and concluded offline — may circumvent or violate state and federal laws, resulting in numerous unlawful sales of handguns, assault weapons, and other firearms.
“We urge you to take immediate measures to meaningfully and effectively enforce your prohibition on firearms sales. Giving users multiple opportunities to sell weapons that can end up in the wrong hands is a loophole that calls into question Facebook’s representations about and commitment to ending gun sales on its platform. Facebook must do better,” concluded the senators.
A copy of the letter can be found HERE and below.
Dear Mr. Zuckerberg:
We write seeking answers to questions about Facebook’s online gun sales policies following the publication of an article in the Washington Post entitled “Facebook’s ban on gun sales gives sellers 10 strikes before booting them.”[1] According to the Post’s reporting, despite previous assurances that Facebook would prohibit firearms sales on its social media platforms,[2] Facebook allows gun sellers and buyers to violate its policy 10 times before Facebook removes them from its platform. If this reporting is accurate, it is deeply disturbing and calls into question Facebook’s commitment to stopping online gun sales and its representations to us about its policies.[3]
We have written to you in the past about Facebook’s facilitation of online gun sales — for example, in 2013, urging Instagram (owned by Meta) to follow the example of other online marketplaces such as Craigslist and eBay in prohibiting gun sales on their platforms;[4] in 2016, after Facebook had announced a ban on private gun sales, when it was discovered that users were still engaged in those transactions;[5] and in 2020, when a report documented Facebook’s failure to track down and remove gun sellers who simply moved to new private groups when Facebook shut them down.[6] In response, as far back as 2014, Facebook claimed — and then repeated its claim — that it would limit or block firearms sales on its platforms.[7]
Now, with the United States facing an unrelenting gun violence epidemic,8 Facebook reportedly continues to allow users to sell firearms on its platform after repeated violations of its ban on peer-to-peer firearms sales. An unenforced ban is no ban at all, and simply invites more of the purportedly prohibited conduct.
We remain deeply concerned that gun sales on Facebook — or advertised sales posted online but negotiated and concluded offline — may circumvent or violate state and federal laws, resulting in numerous unlawful sales of handguns, assault weapons, and other firearms. We want all communities, whether offline or online, to be safe for their members.
In order to understand Facebook’s 10-strike policy, we ask that you to respond to the following questions in writing by July 15, 2022:
“little information about its strike system with the public”? If not, how is the reporting inaccurate?
Facebook’s 10-strike policy is unwarranted and dangerous. We urge you to take immediate measures to meaningfully and effectively enforce your prohibition on firearms sales. Giving users multiple opportunities to sell weapons that can end up in the wrong hands is a loophole that calls into question Facebook’s representations about and commitment to ending gun sales on its platform. Facebook must do better.
Sincerely,
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