In January, Facebook changed its user policy to ban private-party gun sales. The ban applied to person-to-person sales only, and didn’t affect licensed gun dealers or gun clubs. So you can imagine Christopher Dover’s surprise when, in an attempt to follow the new policy to the letter, he found his Facebook group suddenly shut down on, ironically, Independence Day.
The East Texas Firearms Marketplace Facebook group that Dover managed required dealers to provide a valid copy of their federal firearms license. But neither Dover, nor any other Facebook users, were aware of yet another policy change the social behemoth made in June.
They added the words “by private individuals” so that their policy now reads: “We prohibit any attempts by private individuals to purchase, sell, or trade prescription drugs, marijuana, firearms or ammunition.” This small change with a big ramification effectively shut Dover’s group—and likely others—down, as a Facebook spokesman said the rule will be enforced on “individuals,” whether they have an FFL or not. Status: dislike.
