Facebook to Update Policies on Advertisement of Ammunition to Underage Audience

Facebook is going to update its policies on advertising ammunitions and other related items to underage users.

Advertising on Facebook is undoubtedly effective considering the volume of active Facebook users on a daily basis. However, it is also safe to say that the social media giant still has a lot to do in improving what kinds of advertisement reach its younger users.

Last Saturday, Facebook announced that it is updating its ad policies on guns and ammunition — probably some of the most controversial items found online. However, looking into the updates that Facebook would apply to its rules, the company is apparently being more lenient when it comes to what gun accessories can be posted on the platform, as noted by Digital Trends.

In Facebook’s official statement, it recognized that advertisements even for products “mounted on guns for the purposes of illuminating, magnifying or focusing in on (e.g. optics, flashlights) a target as well as holsters and belt accessories” are currently prohibited from the platform.

With the ad policy changes slated to arrive on Thursday, Facebook is basically allowing the promotion of the above-mentioned items provided that advertisers are going to limit their target ad audience to 18 years old and above. But Facebook did not mention whether it is going to impose measures from their end to make sure these kinds of advertisements will not reach minors.

In the new ad guidelines, Facebook specified the kind of weapon accessories that can be advertised on its platform, including mounted flashlights, scopes and sights, holsters and belt accessories, gun safes, mounts like bipods, gun slings, cases, weapon wraps, paints, and coatings.

Facebook will also allow advertisements of clothing for hunting, military, and self-defense, including practice gears like shooting target boards and other protective equipment like vests.

All the abovementioned items can be promoted on Facebook starting on Thursday. Facebook is yet to clarify if it will apply mechanisms that will prevent advertisers to publish posts that do not follow this rule or if sanctions are in place for advertisers who will deliberately bypass this guideline.

Meanwhile, Facebook is still imposing a total ban on the advertisement of firearms, ammunition, paintball guns, BB guns, gun suppressors and silencers, explosives, and other types of weapons.