BY DUSTIN VOLZ
Facebook Inc (FB.O)
prohibited global users from coordinating person-to-person private sales of
firearms on its online social network and its Instagram photo-sharing service
on Friday, countering concerns that it was increasingly being used to
circumvent background checks on gun purchases.
The
move comes as the United States debates the issue of access to guns after a
string of mass shootings. U.S. President Barack Obama has urged social media
companies to clamp down on gun sales organized on their platforms.
It updates
Facebook's regulated goods policy, introduced in March 2014, that banned people
from selling marijuana, pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs.
Facebook
already prohibited private firearms sellers from advertising "no
background check required," or offering transactions across U.S. state
lines without a licensed dealer because the company said such posts indicated a
willingness to evade the law.
Licensed retailers will still be able to advertise
firearms on Facebook that lead to transactions outside of Facebook's service,
the spokeswoman said.
"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," Monika Bickert, Facebook's head of product policy,
said in a statement.
"We are continuing to develop, test,
and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are
updating our regulated goods policies to reflect this evolution," Bickert
said.
Facebook is the world's most popular online
social network, with 1.59 billion users across the globe, 219 million of them
in the United States and Canada.
The National Rifle Association, a lobbying
group opposed to limits on U.S. gun ownership rights, did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
Groups advocating increased gun control
applauded the new policy.
"Moms are grateful for the leadership
shown by Facebook today," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand
Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of the Everytown for Gun Safety
campaign group. "Our continued relationship with Facebook resulted in
today's even stronger stance, which will prevent dangerous people from getting
guns and save American lives.”
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