Instagram: Stop Allowing Unregulated Gun Sales!
Popular photo-sharing site Instagram has become a marketplace for unregulated firearms. Though the site recently updated its policy to prohibit photos depicting self-harm and abuse, its regulations remain weak in other areas. As state and federal gun policies remain lax on online sales, Instagram is enabling criminals to buy and sell firearms with ease.
Federal guidelines recommend that sellers run a background check and keep records for every gun sale, but most choose not to. A New York investigation showed that 62 percent of online gun sellers sold to an illegal buyer, and every 30th sale on Armslist went to an illegal buyer.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want gun buyers to be able to pass a background check, but this is not always the case. Please urge Instagram to revise their policy to prohibit unregulated gun sales on their platform.
We, the undersigned, are concerned that Instagram users are using the platform to buy and sell firearms with no regulation. We understand that there is nothing in your policy to prohibit these practices.
Federal guidelines recommend that sellers run a background check and keep records for every gun sale, but most choose not to. A New York investigation showed that 62 percent of online gun sellers sold to an illegal buyer, and every 30th sale on Armslist went to an illegal buyer.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want gun buyers to be able to pass a background check, but this is not always the case. We respectfully urge you to revise your guidelines to prohibit unregulated gun sales on Instagram. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
