On Saturday morning, Facebook published a short update on their blog titled “Our Preparations Ahead of Inauguration Day,” explaining how the social media company would temporarily prohibit advertisements from defense firms amid the fallout from the Jan. 6 US Capitol riots.
Facebook wrote, “we are banning ads that promote weapon accessories and protective gear in the US at least through Jan. 22, out of an abundance of caution.”
“We already prohibit ads for weapons, ammunition, and weapon enhancements like silencers. But we will now also prohibit ads for accessories such as gun safes, vests, and gun holsters in the US,” the social media company continued.
The ad ban on gun safes, vests, and gun holsters on the platform comes a little more than a week after the Capitol riots.
What’s concerning is the ban could be permanent if Democrats have it their way.
Last week, three senators and four attorney generals sent letters to Facebook demanding that the platform permanently ban ads of defense products used in armed combat.
The senators, all Democrats (Tammy Duckworth, Richard Blumenthal, and Sherrod Brown), said the social media company must take bold action to “hold itself accountable for how domestic enemies of the United States have used the company’s products and platform to further their own illicit aims.”
“Whether through negligence or with full knowledge, Facebook is placing profit ahead of our Nation’s democracy,” they said.
An update on the blog on Friday said the social media company was “implementing a series of additional measures to continue preventing attempts to use our services for violence,” adding that “we are blocking the creation of any new Facebook events happening in close proximity to locations including the White House, the US Capitol building and any of the state capitol buildings through Inauguration Day.”
Under a Biden presidency, a taste of what’s coming could be a major clamp down on the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Biden has already said he will “defeat” the now-bankrupted NRA.
Last week, readers learned that New York could be the first state to ban body armor for civilians if a new bill is passed. If the bill is passed, body armor bans could sweep across blue states.