Facebook is implementing new polices to prevent person-to-person gun sales via both the Facebook and Instagram sites. Traditionally, individuals making private gun sales have been able to arrange them using the social networks, but under Facebook’s new policies, that will no longer be allowed.

Firearms are joining the long list of things that people cannot use Facebook (or Instagram) to sell, including illegal drugs and pharmaceuticals. While Facebook’s old policies didn’t allow individuals to sell guns via Facebook ads, individuals could create posts for the private sale of firearms. However, Facebook did take actions in 2014 to restrict those kinds of sales to minors. According to NPR’s Laura Sydell: “Facebook has never been directly involved in gun selling, but it has been a place where buyers and sellers have negotiated sales.” However, these new policies won’t affect already-licensed sellers or stores from creating ads on the site.

Facebook’s head of Global Policy Management, Monika Bickert, stated:

Over the last two years, more and more people have been using Facebook to discover products and to buy and sell things to one another. We are continuing to develop, test, and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are updating our regulated goods policies to reflect this evolution.

Under these new polices, Facebook will rely on users to report violations, and if certain individuals become repeat offenders, they may be banned from the social media sites. Facebook officials stated:

We will remove reported posts that explicitly indicate a specific attempt to evade or help others evade the law. For example, we will remove reported posts where the potential buyer or seller indicates they will not conduct a background check or are willing to sell across state lines without a licensed firearms dealer.

The move isn’t really much of a surprise–these changes to Facebook’s policies come roughly a month after President Barack Obama’s executive actions on guns were announced, which create stricter provisions for private, even individual, gun sales. The fact that Facebook is making an attempt to comply with its new provisions makes sense–hopefully it’ll help to cut down on unlicensed gun sales via two of the top social media sites in the U.S.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Throughout his presidency, President Obama has given several speeches to the American public on gun control. But each speech seemingly echoes the former–another senseless tragedy occurred and we as a nation need to do something about it.

Therefore without immediate action, his calls for stricter background checks and support from Congress often fall on deaf ears, making the need for a new strategy extremely evident. That’s why on Tuesday Obama revealed a new plan to combat continued gun deaths–one that sidesteps Congress by leveraging his executive authority.

In the East Room of the White House and surrounded by gun control advocates and gun violence survivors, Obama unveiled a new list of measures intended to progress his gun safety agenda. Here are the eight thing you need to know:

1.) Gun sellers must have a license

One of the biggest things to come out of Obama’s speech is that any individual in the business of selling guns must register as a licensed gun dealer. This requirement would effectively help close a current “gun show loophole,” which allows private sellers who consider themselves to be “hobbyists” to operate off the books. So regardless of whether you sell one gun, or 100 guns, you will have to register.

2.) Expanded background checks

A big concern for most gun safety advocates is the outdated guidelines for background checks used on prospective gun owners. Obama attempted to rectify this with with his expansion of the “gun dealer” definition. Background checks are already required by federal law for firearm purchases, but by making all gun sellers register as gun dealers, those who avoided previous checks under the loophole will no longer be exempt.

3.) He wants to beef up enforcements

If you were wondering how POTUS plans to compel people to register, the answer is in the form of a couple hundred reinforcements. Obama is asking Congress for funding to hire 200 new investigators and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to help carry out new and existing gun laws.

4.) $500 million for Health Care

The president is also proposing a $500 million investment to increase access to mental health care and mental health information for overseeing background checks. He plans to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to make it easier to convey to states the people prohibited from possessing a gun for specific mental health reasons. There will also be new guidelines added to the background checks that should catch individuals who have disqualifying mental health issues.

5.) Researching Smarter Gun Technology

During his speech, Obama asked the crowd why is it that we can use fingerprints to unlock our phones, but the same technology isn’t used for guns. With accidental firearm injuries and deaths in the “tens of thousands,” developing better gun technology a priority for the administration. Therefore the president is asking for an increase in research and development efforts into “ideas for improving gun safety and the tracing of lost or stolen guns.”

6.) Call for bipartisan support

As always, the president called for support from both Democrats and Republicans, especially those in Congress, to help reevaluate the nation’s gun laws. Unfortunately Republicans are already threatening a budget showdown over the actions, so bipartisanship doesn’t seem likely.

7.) Hillary and Bernie are in

Both Democratic presidential hopefuls took to Twitter to commend Obama on his actions and lend their support. Hillary even vowed to continue to carry the torch if elected and pursue more gun control initiatives.

Thank you, @POTUS, for taking a crucial step forward on gun violence. Our next president has to build on that progress—not rip it away. -H

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 5, 2016

.@POTUS is right: We can protect the Second Amendment while protecting our families and communities from gun violence. And we have to.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 5, 2016

Republicans are clearly more loyal to gun lobbyists than our children. I support @POTUS‘s executive actions to make our communities safer.

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 5, 2016

8.) Obama got emotional

Probably the most impactful part of the speech was a new level of emotion seen from the president as he visibly teared up when talking about the young children shot to death in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Some Fox News analysts are already calling the tears staged, but for those of us with a heart, the tears certainly signify a turning point for the president.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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