EXCLUSIVE: Buying a gun on Facebook takes 15 minutes for children, felons, and people without IDs

[onehandle]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Sissyk (a host of the General Discussion forum).

Last edited Thu Feb 27, 2014, 02:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Fifteen minutes.

That’s all it takes for children, felons, and people without IDs to buy illegal weapons on Facebook pages dedicated to the sale and celebration of guns.

A VentureBeat investigation has uncovered dozens of pages on Facebook where guns are for sale, including semi-automatic weapons, handguns, and silencers. While the transactions don’t actually happen on Facebook, the social network is a remarkably easy way to find shady people willing to sell you a weapon — no questions asked. The illegal transactions then take place in diners, dark parking lots, and isolated country roads — away from the prying eyes of the feds and local police.

In Kentucky, Greenup County Sheriff Keith Cooper remembers when a call came into dispatch last October saying a 15-year-old student had been arrested on the Greenup County High School campus for carrying an unlicensed and loaded 9mm handgun to school. The boy was arrested and brought to Cooper’s office for an interview.

When Cooper, a former Kentucky State Trooper with a heavy Southern drawl, asked the kid where he got the gun, his reply was shocking: Facebook.

http://venturebeat.com/2014/02/26/exclusive-buying-a-gun-on-facebook-takes-15-minutes

Gungeoneers and sockpuppets defending their fetish downstream seem to think I wrote the article and 'wonder what my point is.' Funny how they don't take this tack with articles simply posted on other subjects, but I'll bite...

[font size="5"]ALL ILLEGAL ACTS WITH GUNS START WITH LEGAL ACTS WITH GUNS[/font]

Be it with a buyer or a seller.

Gun culture is flooding our country with death. Guns are part of the anchor pulling America to the bottom.

[MO_Moderate]

1. These transactions should be illegal

[former9thward]

2. They are illegal.

The OP knows it. Just happened to leave it out.

[LanternWaste]

4. Clearly in the excerpt posted in the OP.

"The illegal transactions then take place in diners..."

Clearly in the excerpt posted in the OP. But then again, sans Broadway lighting pointing directly on the phrase, I can certainly understand how the slow and biased may have missed it....

[former9thward]

8. Maybe you should be replying with your snark to the poster I was replying to.

They thought it was legal. And they read the same OP. I don't blame them since the OP HEADLINED the piece "Buying guns on FB takes 15 minutes." But of course they were being honest as they could be, we all know that ....

[Hoyt]

9. But it does show just how un-law-abiding gun owners really are, despite what they tell us.

[former9thward]

13. Everyone, without fail, says and actually thinks they are a good driver.

I guess we should pull everyone's license to get rid of the bad ones.

[onehandle]

17. No, but maybe we should license them and database all of their vehicles' registrations...

...so that we can know where each and every vehicle is in case the driver or the vehicle go 'bad'...

..oh, wait...

[former9thward]

19. They all say they are good drivers.

But some of them are bad. So they are all bad. Can't have that. Take everyone's car away.

[frylock]

24. perhaps people should be mandated to buy insurance if they operate a motor vehicle..

if only there were a law.

[former9thward]

25. Insurance is not required for vehicles on your property.

Want insurance for guns taken off the property? I would be fine with that. It would be pennies.

[onehandle]

33. Yes. The endless circles of NRA issued diversions have served you well.

My guess is that the gungeoneers I cannot see in this thread are accessing their 3x5 cards as well.

Goodbye.

[former9thward]

35. Are your cards 4x6?

[Straw Man]

39. Another substance-less slur.

The old "NRA talking points" canard: more of a verbal tic than a rhetorical device.

Farewell.

[beevul]

31. None of which is required for simple ownership.

The things you list are ONLY required for usage in public.

[Straw Man]

32. Going bad.

No, but maybe we should license them and database all of their vehicles' registrations...

...so that we can know where each and every vehicle is in case the driver or the vehicle go 'bad'...

..oh, wait...

So you really think that car registrations tell the authorities "where each and every vehicle is"? Perhaps you're thinking of LoJack. Shall we mandate electronic surveillance of vehicles? How about their owners?

[Hoyt]

37. You are just trying to protect your access to gunz.

[Straw Man]

42. I think ...

You are just trying to protect your access to gunz.

... you mean "guns." Unless you're trying to make some half-assed accusation of illiteracy.

[former9thward]

47. Take it up with the Democratic Party who you claim to support.

The party platform and President Obama says the Constitution should be followed and I should have access to guns if I wish.

[Hoyt]

50. You can lay your gunz down, that would be a better choice for society.

[former9thward]

53. For your concept of 'society'.

But not mine.

[Chorophyll]

40. CARS ARE NOT GUNS.

GUNS ARE NOT CARS.

[former9thward]

49. And pianos are not guns.

GUNS ARE NOT PIANOS. Now that we have got all that clear ....

[beevul]

30. Ahh. This one incident is representative of all gun owners...

Ahh. This one incident is representative of all gun owners...


Makes perfect sense.

[Hoyt]

51. If it were only one incident, but it's not just one.

[spin]

54. Sure just like me, right? ...

You sure love to paint with a broad brush when you insinuate that all gun owners do not abide with the law.

I may be somewhat unusual as I have my own rules for selling firearms.

1) The buyer has to be a resident of my hone state of Florida.

2) I have to have personally known him long and well enough to be able to judge his character.

3) He/she has to have a valid Florida Concealed Weapons Permit.

[hack89]

3. You can use Facebook to commit crimes? Who would have thought.

Shall we make it double illegal to solve the problem?

[MO_Moderate]

5. Super duper illegal

[Hoyt]

10. Shows how un-law-abiding gun fanciers really are.

[cherokeeprogressive]

11. You keep forgetting the word "all"

Do you do that on purpose?

[Hoyt]

26. I'm saying that those gun fanciers who say gun lovers are law-abiding, are lying to protect their

access to gunz.

It's like those right here on DU who say that if certain guns they love were banned, they'd just hide them and tell any law enforcement officer that they had it out on a boat that sank.

Fact is, anyone that into to gunz, and particularly those who would strap one on to venture into public, should be suspect. They don't care society.

[Straw Man]

45. Ahem.

Fact is, anyone that into to gunz, and particularly those who would strap one on to venture into public, should be suspect. They don't care society.

Mrs. Malaprop thinks that society should care them, regardless of what they're into to.

[Hoyt]

48. Unlike gun fanciers, I don't have a writing "crutch" or disregard for impact of gunz upon society.

[hack89]

16. No more no less than anyone else in America

let's not forget Silk Road.

[Dr. Strange]

20. And how un-law-abiding Facebook users are.

[badtoworse]

6. Do you have a point? The transactions you describe are illegal

Why not point that out?

[Orrex]

7. We could solve this easily with more guns.

[dilby]

14. I heard you can buy Crack, Meth and Heroin on Facebook too.

What is your point?

[aikoaiko]

15. Bans teh Gunz!!!1!

Especially the ones with barrel shrouds.

[oneshooter]

18. You mean the type that go up? n/t

[aikoaiko]

21. Yeah, that's it. The should thing that goes up.

That's the ticket.

[alcibiades_mystery]

22. Every illegal gun begins as a legal gun...

How did it get into the illicit pipeline? Stolen in a burglary? Bullshit. Truck robbery? Bullshit. Illegal gun factory? Triple bullshit.

Obviously, the first two happen, but not even a minute fraction of the illicit market could come from thefts.

A legal gun owner sold it or bought it on somebody else's behalf. Pure and simple. All guns in the illicit market were produced legally. The vast, vast, vast majority of guns in the illicit market were bought legally and sold into the illicit market.

[Straw Man]

34. Please explain ...

The vast, vast, vast majority of guns in the illicit market were bought legally and sold into the illicit market.

... how you know this. Perhaps you have a study to cite.

[raven mad]

27. I can get you lots of links -

just from my email, because I'm Alaskan. Weird. They think I give a shit about their "cause" to be sure every person (including 4-year-olds) are armed.

No, I can't. I blocked them.

[sweetapogee]

28. wow

And to think studies have shown that it takes >16 minutes to buy car insurance on facebook.
It's just not fair to the millions of drivers forced to wait longer. And delivery, how is the hardware delivered, via email or PM? Oh, I know, Instagram.

Wow again.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. FACEBOOK! IS THERE NO END TO THE PERFIDITY FOR WHENCE THOU ART RESPONSIBLE????!?!??!

VERILY FACEBOOK IS THE FOURTH HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE AND

...wait, people can buy shit on it?

[DanTex]

36. This seems to have upset team NRA. Oddly.

I mean, it's no big secret that inadequate gun laws result in guns getting into the hands of criminals and 15-year olds. What is it about this particular story that is so threatening?

[onehandle]

38. Criminals and 15-year olds are customers.

Legality is a technicality to the NRA.

Profit first.

[Chorophyll]

44. It's certainly brought them out into the daylight.

With all the usual bogus automotive comparisons.

[seveneyes]

41. CALL ZUCKERMAN RIGHT FUCKING NOW !!!!!!

[Sancho]

43. People control...

This is my generic response to gun threads. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70’s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that weren’t secured are out of control in our society. As such, here’s what I now think should the requirements to possess a gun. I’m not debating the legal language, I just think it’s the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because it’s clear that they should never have had a gun.

1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a renewable license.
2.) To get a license, they should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learner’s license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 instead of 21, that's fine...my opinion is 21.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability policy insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) outside of home or when transporting it to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.).
9.) All guns should be registered. If you buy, sell, give away, inherit, or the gun changes hands by any other transaction, the registration should be recorded. Ammunition should be tagged.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process (if ever).

Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a driver’s license you need a license to fish, rent scuba equipment, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.

[onehandle]

46. But... Freedumb! nt

[badtoworse]

52. It's still BS that would not survive court scrutiny.

[Sissyk]

55. Locking

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