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UPDATE: Good news. Kentucky Gun Company’s Facebook page has now been restored. It seems our friends in Bardstown were helped in getting through to the powers that be by TTAG reader Dan Silverman. It’s a great example of the People of the Gun sticking up for each other. And another example of why our readership is the best in the gunblogosphere. Thanks.

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As you’ve probably heard by now, the whiz kids at Facebook have decided that their site will no longer facilitate sales of firearms between private parties. Like their decision or not (and we don’t), it’s their site, their rules. Whether or not that decision was influenced in any way by the Obama administration is an open question. So…no more individuals advertising their guns for sale next to pictures of their cats. There’s only one problem with that: Facebook has now started swinging the ban shillelagh at licensed FFL’s too. Legitimate, tax-paying, American-employing businesses that sell legal products. Earlier today we highlighted Santa Cruz Armory’s take-down. The latest victim: our friends at the Kentucky Gun Company . . .

DontBanMeBro

If you’re not familiar with their history, KYGUNCO isn’t exactly a fly-by-night operation. They’re a licensed FFL that’s been around since 1946 and have a thriving online sales business. This isn’t a half-ass project run out of someone’s garage either — they have a 32,000 square foot retail facility and gun range in Bardstown, Kentucky.

FB Denies KyGunCo

As KYGUNCO told TTAG:

Facebook announced that they have started to remove gun traders groups, buy/sell groups, etc., in an effort to slow the trade of firearms between individuals. In this attempt they are also removing legitimate gun dealers.  KYGUNCO’s Facebook page was deleted today without notice, even though we are a licensed dealer. Facebook has become vital in advertising our business throughout the U.S. Our Facebook page had over 32,000 likes.

And it’s virtually impossible to reach an actual human being at Facebook to plead your case.

How long before more legitimate FFLs and, oh, I don’t know, gun blogs fall under the hoplophobic wrath of Zuckerberg’s minions, too? Watch this space.

 

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88 COMMENTS

    • Question: Why does TTAG continue to support Facebook, when it is abundantly clear that Facebook does not support our 2nd Amendment Rights?

      • Good question. Seems like the “money where your mouth is” response to Facebook’s anti-gun stupidity is to stop using Facebook (and thus contributing to their revenue).

        On the other hand, it probably won’t be long before TTAG’s FB page is taken down for “violating Facebook’s standards”, anyway.

      • Yeah, we only have to look to GunBroker to see how successful an alternative to the established player can be. GB was created because eBay wouldn’t allow the firearm-related sales, and they’re huge. What are they up to now, like $6 billion or more in sales? Not that various forums and such don’t already exist, but there would still be a market for a firearms-centric social media platform on which dealers and individuals can have profile pages and share news and links and photos and sales, etc etc.

        • Seems like it wouldn’t necessarily have to be firearms-centric. It would just be nice to have some sort of alternative social media site that actually respected its users and didn’t try to push its own political agenda. It seems like all the big ones (FB, G+, Twitter, etc) are more and more getting into the business of policing the content their users choose to publish. Not cool.

    • Please someone tell me how to get a live human being on face book. I want to find out what there they stand on firearms if they are gone so am I.And what it means is that you have taken up with our no#1
      Black or you are a Demo. or a lowlife of course all of the above are the same. So face book let me know.

    • They way they’re going, they may not become MySpace, but instead a small ghetto of politically correct backmarkers posting politically correct things, to gain applause from their politically correct leaders. While the rest of us simply move on.

      • At this point, they might as well rebrand themselves to Progressive Book, Socialist Book, Fascist Book or Communist Book. Any of those would apply.

      • All of my firearms related groups have moved to MeWe. Only a very few of them even left a page behind on facebook. Im talking to you TTAG. If the guys with lots of clicks don’t band together and leave FB, they wont ever get the message.

  3. Who do people care so much about facebook? I know I am a minority, but I have never even opened up their www page. Facebook is not the internet…

    • I admit I dabble in FB, but G+ is where all the cool kids hang out. By the way, would you like to buy a gun? ?

      • G+ is worse. They shut down gun review sites such as Hickock45, who was posting review videos on YouTube, with apparently get copied over to G+ accounts, since Google now owns YouTube. G+ is anti-gun, but YouTube is a bit more lenient.

    • Why does a business care about FB? Did you read the article above? 😛

      Facebook has become vital in advertising our business throughout the U.S. Our Facebook page had over 32,000 likes.

      FB = lots of people. Lots of people = business. Businesses care about it for the same reason they pay money to put advertisements on TV or radio. Except having a FB page is free.

      It is what you make of it. There’s no rule saying that it’s only for posting photos of your cat and what you had for breakfast. Although, with more and more pages being banned, maybe it’ll end up there eventually.

      • I just don’t get it. I don’t see a FB presence actually driving sales.

        Now, I can readily see it serving as a cheerleading section for people already inclined to do business with a company and who want to share in the experience with an enthusiastic “like.” But somebody just wandering FB, randomly stumbling upon a page, then suddenly buying from them? I don’t get it.

        Facebook reminds me of the people in the front row of a Gallagher show, decked out in their ponchos and umbrellas, waiting for the watermelon and disingenuously thinking “Oh no! What’s he going to do with sledge hammer…….I wonder……..”, and then “Woohoo! I’m part of the show!!!”

        I guess it’s a real thing. It just seems so incredibly silly to me.

        • “I just don’t get it. I don’t see a FB presence actually driving sales.”

          A *lot* of workplaces may have a firewall that bans thetruthaboutguns.com.

          Facebook is much more likely to be not banned.

          I do know there are a lot of people that browse TTAG via Facebook…

        • In response to Jonathan – Houston above & Mr 308’s comment below, it absolutely does drive sales. So does Instagram. In a huge way. Y’all are ignoring the social aspect of social media. Jump on a retailer’s FB page or a manufacturer’s FB page (or Instagram acct) and look at how many people tag their friends in comments. It’s most definitely not only preaching to the people who already “like” you. When a company puts up a photo of a cool product of theirs or announces a sale or something, people share that with their friends. They pull in the specific people who they think would be interested in that product or sale. It’s like having an inside sales team with a list of contacts known to want certain products.

          And again, IT’S FREE. Generates and grows awareness and brand loyalty, generates and grows sales. AND IT’S FREAKING FREE OF CHARGE. How does this remotely sound like something y’all would choose to ignore were you a business trying to sell a product?

        • Ehh, sorry for being so worked up about it haha. My sister built a business via Instagram and it took off like crazy. Some of these brand new, hip gun companies don’t even have functional websites and drive all of their business through Instagram and FB. It’s a new world out there.

        • Geoff, I don’t even get surfing the web on the company’s connection in the first place. Not in 2016. So being blocked seems moot to me. People should use their phones or tablets and not give the company an excuse to fire them.

          Jeremy,

          I’m sure you’re right. It’s just so foreign to me…..tagging pictures, finding people on Facebook, following people on Twitter……it all just strikes me as frivolous, the stuff of giggling middle school girls. No doubt there’s big money in it. Then again, so is there in clothing and fashion accessories for dogs, but I’m not buying smoking jackets and ascots for weiner dogs any time soon, either.

      • “Facebook has become vital in advertising our business throughout the U.S. Our Facebook page had over 32,000 likes.”

        Eh, likes aren’t sales, I would wonder how many guns they really ended up selling via FB advertising, I don’t think this is where people internet shopping for guns go to first. That sounds like a bit of embellishment they are using to give weight to their call to get the page back. I could be wrong.

        I do think this is stupid of FB to do this, especially seeing how much other content is out there that they don’t bother policing. But it is a private business and they can do whatever they want with it.

        I just don’t care, I have no use for the platform.

    • They both have the same idea but want different ends. They both hate our freedoms and want to fundamentally change them. That is why they tolerate each other while not tolerating us.

    • Probably. What I don’t understand is they keep referring to “their community standards”, as if Facebook is a single community, and not a Venn diagram of thousands communities that may or may not have any overlap. Selectively trying to enforce a single cultural or community standard across a billion people is a fools game, and they are trying to play it.

      • Exactly, every gun trader group that I belong to on Facebook is a “closed” group. That means unless you request to be a member of that particular community, you are going to see their posts. This community standards line is just a lame excuse for bullying the gun interest community.

        I expect to be deleting my account soon.

  6. So Facebook has declared war on anything to do with guns, including the LAWFUL sale of firearms through FFL’s. What dicks.

  8. I just got my wife to confirm, my page has been deleted as well. I even posted that I was an FFL and all transactions are via NICS check BEFORE they deleted it. So my question is this….what now? I have a legitimate webpage, but I do not maintain it. Guess I’m gonna have to become a webmaster now too…

    • Don’t over analyze it, it probably has more to do with some keyword algorithm that is on purpose deliberately vague to “accidentally” tie up legitimate businesses as well.

    • What is the url for the Facebook page?
      I will email facebook directly.
      Via Facebook go to 1MMAGC “1 Million Moms Against Gun Control”
      Send them a direct message, include the url for the facebook page what was unpublished.
      We are working with specific people to have these pages put back up as quickly as possible.

  10. I noticed in Gizmodo today that Facebook has started cracking down on marijuana dispensaries as well, with similar results. Here in Colorado MJ is legal, but FB is taking the “it’s illegal at the federal level” stance. If I were a betting man, someone decided that they were going to enforce “community standards” across the board, and target the most common “bad” places.

  12. well time to download every image I uploaded and delete every single article of information from facebook. goodbye. My girlfriend wanted to undo hers too so I think things are going great for us.

  13. Did being on Facebook really increase your traffic/sales/recognition any?
    From my experience commercial Facebook pages/users are usually only there because that’s where they think they should be or because they already have a personal attention-whore Facebook page and would rather keep using what they know instead of learn anything new AKA lazy as exemplified by all the retailers with dead or horribly out of date websites but Facebook pages loaded with posts.

    • Do you really think that? Do you understand how social media works? Facebook allows quick and seemless sharing of ideas and information, within circles of people that have similar interests or relationships. It was created and it succeeds because web pages and billboards just can’t do the same thing. A Farmer’s Market is a decent analogy. Those farms may have a sign out front, but unless you drive by, you won’t find them. Put them all in a parking lot and viola – people know where to find them and they also work together to provide consumers a one-stop-shop for veggies.

      Look, I think FB has crossed a line for me personally, and although they have a right to ban firearm-related content, I have a right to delete my account and give their advertisers one less set of eyeballs. But banning legitimate businesses firearm or other, puts a chill down my spine. How is this KYGunCo’s fault? They are using a hugely popular medium to promote a legitimate (and really well run) business to people who enjoy shooting sports and firearms. Not good. Hope FB sees the error of their ways.

      • Error of their ways?

        Not me. I hope they continue their myopia, lose bilions, and fade away, only to be replaced in the market by something more responsive and inclusive. Then again, I’m more into the wicked being smitten than in their finding redemption, but that’s just me.

    • Why go through all the work? Post a picture of your firearm with a the words for sale and FU Facebook and it will be gone.

  16. Facebook better hope Clinton wins. Otherwise, the GOP admin will crack them hard with an anti-trust lawsuit.

  19. Funny thing is, I’ve never had a Facebook account, and the only times that I’ve considered opening one was so that I could monitor local gun shop events/news. Guess this pretty much gets me off the fence on that decision.

    • That’s funny– me too. After rejecting me from “The Facebook” in about 2003, I never again considered an account… except recently to get gun store updates, and keep up with the local shooting events calendar.

  21. After they get their way on twitter and facebook the next step will be to start heavily pressuring hosting partners (think hostgator, bluehost, godaddy, etc) to start dumping businesses web pages, anti-gun-control blogs like this one, etc.

    Barry is very very sad that he hasn’t been able to do anything about the “gun problem” so he’s going to be swinging the ban hammer for the next 11 months.

      • Private businesses can do whatever they want, as far as I know. We already know that Zuckerberg, Bezos, and many other left coast billionaires that own these businesses are extremely liberal. So liberal that I wouldn’t put it past them to do benevolent leader a solid and dump all gun related businesses that use their services in a New York minute.

        • Wouldn’t that be discrimination of some kind? What if the business owner was among the patronized…I mean protected…minorities?

    • I doubt any attempt will be made to influence hosting companies. It would be totally fruitless, because there is plenty of competition in that arena, and it would be quite easy for sites to relocate (even overseas, if necessary). The reason a Facebook crackdown is effective is because there’s not really a realistic alternative to Facebook, if that’s the sort of thing you’re into.

  22. I just deleted my Facebook account about a month ago due to lack of use and a vague, nagging fear that I had too much shit out there for people to see. Now I know I made the right choice.

    I also deleted every single gun photo (there were a lot) individually before I deleted the account. No idea if this did anything, but it made me feel better.

    My wife, who is a Facebook addict, is starting to think about deleting hers too. She’s very pro-2A, and I we just bought her first handgun, a Glock 27.

  23. While “their site their rules” is true in some cases, it’s not here. Facebook has a monopoly on social network business directory listings. They can’t say no to certain businesses and industries without breaking antitrust and monopoly laws. Of course, it will take a lawsuit to force this upon them.

  24. They put in writing why they closed the page. If none of their reasons apply, and you suffer financial loss because of the closure, I am having difficulty seeing why a lawsuit wouldn’t be in order.

  25. Glad to have recently bought a quality product from the nice folks at KYGUCO.

    Don’t use FB or any social site (does ARMSLIST count), so the Silicon Valley Comintern pogrom doesn’t impact me, but I hope we find $1 of taxpayer money going to FB so the hoodie bazzilionaires can get their head stuck in the turbine of the 24hr news cycle.

  26. Why are these gun companies complicit with the obviously anti-gun and anti-constitutional facebook?

  27. Why don’t all these ffl’s that are being kicked off of bookface band together and start their own deal. Something pro gun, pro 2a. Call it “Headspace” Screw anyone and everyone who disagrees with our values…

  28. Both Facebook and YouTube make a lot of money from advertisers who pay for “likes,” pages visits, views of videos, etc. Successful YouTube channels, like Hickok45 earn YouTube a lot of money. Yet, Facebook and YouTube treat people like carp, pulling the plug on their businesses with no notice, and then making it next to impossible for them to contact a live person to work things out. It’s shameful.

  29. Well, I feel dirty now. I logged onto the facespace for the first time in several years just now to delete my account. I sure hope it went through… as if I actually believe it will. Anyone have any bridges for sale? I’m feeling especially gullible today.

  30. “Pages that are hateful, threatening, or obscene”

    Amazing that the MDA shills pages are left alone. Their posts, let alone the comment sections, contain some quality two minutes hate material.

  31. If your gun manufacturer you have Facebook page you well be next be remove from Facebook. How ever If your female porn star want sell idea porn cool kids on Facebook your more welcome join Facebook. Facebook run double standard.

  32. FB doesn’t understand that in the long run the free flow of ideas are critical to the health of a community, and that moderation is a very tricky thing; They run peril of falling by the way side if they do.

    That being said, the big community I think would be at risk is Youtube currently. If they did something like this I think it would be a lot harder for an alternative to come up. I know there’s certain stuff out there, but the real question is can the advertisers scale and would Google take Adsense and make it gun free too? There are tons on ton of ad providers but I don’t really know if there’s any the gun niche.

  33. Our community is a loud and widespread one. We make a bigger difference than we often realize. I say it’s past time the pro-2A community, personal and professional members alike, bids Facebook a swift and disrespectful farewell.

  35. hurt facebook where it counts,don,t use there site any more,and tell them that you pick and choose,who you want on and off your fb site,then we choose to cancel and stop using your site,and we will tell everyone we know to do the same with fb

  36. They’re back. And one of the many pages I’ve “liked”. Funny but I was just looking at KYGUNCO last night. For my 1st online gun purchase. All of the many FB pages are freaking out. Do what you gotta’ do TTAG’ers. And YES FB is important-my wife has a successful decorating blog and uses FB to notify folks. On the blog she gets fewer and fewer responses.(like5 ).On fakebook the same thing gets 150 comments and likes. And she has some 3000000 pageview in less than 5 years. Going to look at MeWe…

  37. Facebook for decorating blogs, sure. I don’t use Facebook. My 23 y.o. daughter has markedly reduced her use of Facebook in recent years — mostly uses it for photo sharing and even then prefers Instagram and Pinterest. As cheap as it is to create and host a web site, and as easy as it is to find gun dealers on the internet search engines, I say to Hell with Facebook. I really don’t like businesses that only advertise on Facebook. I want to patronize them, not be forced to use Facebook. BTW, I am on KYGUNCO’s email list, and I am happy to get their promo’s that way.

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