Talks With Gun Control Advocates Seeking To Ban Gun Sales On Social Sites

[SecularMotion]

Two of the country’s most influential gun control groups are in talks with Facebook’s legal team in an effort to see gun sales banned on the world’s largest social network and its sister site Instagram.

Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America has partnered with Michael Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns to put pressure on Facebook to prohibit the private selling or trading of guns on its platforms — a practice that’s as widespread as it is unregulated.

“Facebook and Instagram are enabling people to sell weapons, often with no questions asked and no background checks required,” said Mayors Against Illegal Guns’ spokesperson Erika Soto Lamb.

Lamb cited a recent sting operation in Storm Lake, Iowa, where a convicted felon tried to exchange an assault rifle for a handgun via Facebook. In this case, the gun dealer was an undercover officer, and the 21-year-old felon was arrested and jailed.

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/02/21/facebook-and-instagram-in-talks-with-gun-control-advocates-seeking-to-ban-gun-sales-on-social-sites/

[billh58]

1. This will surely cause right-wing

Second Amendment absolutist's heads to explode. My rights! Interstate commerce! Regulation of private sales! Freedom! Americans are beginning to see that the "well regulated" part of the Second Amendment is much more important than the "keep and bear arms" part, and the momentum for sensible regulations and restraints on guns is growing steadily.

From the link:

"Lamb added that Facebook and Instagram would be joining fellow online platforms eBay, Craigslist and Google, all of which have banned the buying, selling or trading of firearms without background checks."

This is a small step in the correct direction, but it is a step forward.

[billh58]

2. Some background on this

dangerous practice:

Authorities Consider Charges Against Man Who Sold Gun to Teen

UPDATE 10/15/13 @ 6:05 p.m.
GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) – The controversy of a student taking a gun on school property continues as investigators look into filing federal charges against the man who sold him the handgun through Facebook.

The boy, who is 15 years old, was caught with a 9mm handgun at Greenup County High School on Friday. He told investigators he bought the gun on the Internet. Greenup County Sheriff Keith Cooper said Tuesday the man and boy arranged the sale through the “Portsmouth Pickers” Facebook group and met up in South Portsmouth, Ky., which is in the western part of Greenup County.

“Basically, as far as an excuse, he said the kid looked older than he was,” Cooper said of the man, who came forward to investigators after seeing WSAZ.com’s story on Saturday night.

Under federal laws, people younger than 21 years old cannot have or buy a handgun. By default, that makes juveniles “prohibited” people – much like felons, who cannot have guns, according to Kraig Hankins.

- Snip -

The A.T.F. is investigating this case and will file federal charges soon against the man who sold the gun.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/kentuckynews/headlines/15-Year-Old-Student-Arrested-Accused-of-Bringing-Gun-on-School-Grounds-227472151.html

Contrary to Second Amendment absolutist's cries of "un-American," "anti-constitutional," and other right-wing claims of civil rights violations, not allowing minors to possess handguns is a sensible and accepted resolution contributing to the reduction of gun violence.

[jimmy the one]

3. a loophole in the loophole

Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America has partnered with Michael Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns to put pressure on Facebook to prohibit the private selling or trading of guns on its platforms — a practice that’s as widespread as it is unregulated.

Ha! Bravo to Moms for gun sense (or should that be brava?!).
... methinks they're creating a loophole to the gunshow loophole!