In an alarming trend, Facebook and Instagram have emerged as platforms where the sale of firearms is surprisingly easy, despite policy restrictions imposed by their parent company, Meta. Since 2016, Meta has maintained a strict prohibition on its subsidiaries from advertising firearm sales. However, reports indicate a blatant disregard for this policy, with ads for handguns, military-style rifles, and even homemade firearms without serial numbers prevalent on these major platforms.
Meta’s firearms advertising policy is clear: “Ads by our subsidiaries may not promote or advocate the use of weapons, ammunition, explosives, or any products that modify weapons.”
A recent study by the Tech Transparency Project and Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, released on October 7, uncovered more than 230 firearm sale ads on Meta’s platforms in just over two months. Alarmingly, many of these ads direct users to finalize transactions on Instagram.
Katie Paul, Director of the Tech Transparency Project, expressed concern over Meta’s role in facilitating gun trafficking. “Unless Meta starts enforcing its own regulations, its advertising system will keep enabling the distribution of dangerous weapons, jeopardizing the safety of Americans and people globally,” she stated.
Meta’s Business Help Center reveals that ads can be disseminated across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and the Meta Audience Network. This interconnectedness means that each advertisement can reach multiple platforms, appearing not only on users’ feeds but also in their Messenger inboxes, where they can be easily shared.
The problem extends beyond just gun advertisements. An investigation by CBS, released on October 2, exposed a multitude of listings for firearms, ammunition, and BB guns on Facebook Marketplace, blatantly violating Meta’s policies. In response to CBS’s inquiries, many of these ads were removed, but new listings quickly took their place. A Meta spokesperson noted that 98.4% of problematic ads on Marketplace are flagged by the system automatically, without the need for user reports.
In response to inquiries regarding the findings from the Tech Transparency Project, a Meta spokesperson added that the review of advertisements is a continuous process. “We are always assessing our advertising practices both before and after such reports,” they stated.
Meta’s business blog reinforces the company’s dedication to offering a trustworthy shopping environment for individuals, communities, and businesses through its policies, safety measures, and technological advancements.
