Facebook on Wednesday unveiled new measures to toughen up its position on firearm sales promoted across its social network. While Facebook doesn’t allow its users to advertize illegal drugs, weapons, prescription medicine and other sensitive items, it’s fairly common for people to post on their timeline offering spare rooms, second-hand cars and increasingly, it would seem, regulated firearms. On Wednesday, the company said it would delete posts that were advertizing guns without the necessary background checks. “We will not permit people to post offers to sell regulated items that indicate a willingness to evade or help others evade the law,” Monika Bickert, Head of Global Policy Management for Facebook said. “For example, private sellers of firearms in the US will not be permitted to specify ‘no background check required,’ nor can they offer to transact across state lines without a licensed firearms dealer.”
