In the ongoing saga of social-media’s repeated censorship, LinkedIn removed one of Olympian Gabby Franco’s posts simply because she was holding two firearms.
In the post, Franco says in English and Spanish, “Which one would [you] pick for PRS [Precision Rifle Series]? The .22lr or the 6.5CM? Or both? I will show you the Primary Arms, LLC scope I am mounting very soon! #prs #rifleshooting #longrange”
For those unfamiliar with her, Franco recently wrote a piece for America’s 1st Freedom detailing how she emigrated from Venezuela as she saw its citizens’ rights and ability to thrive eroding. Her credentials as a firearms expert are about as impressive as it gets: she’s a long-time shooting-sports competitor and medalist, Olympian, Top Shot contestant, firearms trainer, Second Amendment advocate, and industry representative for Walther Arms and Primary Arms.
But LinkedIn censored a post of hers simply because she’s holding two firearms.
At least they didn’t ban her account this time. They’ve banned her before for a video she posted encouraging people to push themselves and learn more if they find themselves frustrated in life—part of her ongoing discussions about appreciating the American dream. She was shown in the video shooting a gun—again, what she does for a living—and that was enough to get flagged and temporarily banned. When she contested LinkedIn’s actions in that case, they simply flagged and removed another post of hers and left the ban in place.
Franco responded to the latest post removal by reposting the same image with blue scribbled over the firearms, saying “LinkedIn took down my latest post, even though I was talking about a sport! So, here is a ‘modified’ post suitable for sensitive souls who engage in motivated ignorance. #BeToughNotWeak”
“They didn’t cancel the account or lock me down this time,” Franco told America’s 1st Freedom. “So, I reposted it with the guns blocked out to highlight the ridiculousness of banning it. I hope it shows the idiocy—this version won't hurt feelings because you don't see the guns. I didn’t get defensive; they don't have power over my emotions. I'm just going to show them the idiocy of flagging a post because of a picture of a firearm, more for the fun of it than anything.”
Franco’s more-than 18,000 followers on the platform seemed mostly amused by the whole thing.
Did LinkedIn have the right to remove the post? Yes, indeed—they are a private company, after all. And, while they haven’t specified posts with firearms as taboo in their terms of use, they’ve nevertheless carefully included clauses that essentially let them do anything they like with or without true justification. But LinkedIn is supposed to be a site for business. Firearms are the core of Franco’s business, and she is the very definition of a legitimate expert on the subject.
Of course, LinkedIn’s bias against firearms-related topics would surprise few. Social-medial censorship shenanigans are par for the course, and we’ve written about the topic extensively. Still, it’s worth pointing out the most-egregious examples, so those less-connected with the industry may see how outrageous the bias against law-abiding Second Amendment advocates continues to be.
