Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> PAM: NEW TONIGHT AT 8.
FACEBOOK IS UNDER FIRE. FOR
SOME OF ITS USERS ALLEGEDLY
BUYING AND TRADING. GUNS.
KRON 4'S TECH REPORTER GABE
SLATE IS HERE TO SHOW US HOW
ADULTS. AND IN SOME CASES
MINORS. ARE REPORTEDLY
USING SOCIAL MEDIA. FOR
BLACK MARKET SALES OF GUNS
AND AMMUNITION. GABE SLATE
FOR
>> REPORTER:THIS IS RICHARD
BURN RIGH-LY, A REPORTER FOR
"VENTURE=BEAT" WHO JUST
BROKE THIS STORY
HE SHARES WITH US HIS
EYE=OPENING EXPERIENCE WHEN
GUN SHOPPING ON FACE=BOOK.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM HIM IN
MOMENT
BEFORE THAT.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE GRASS
ROOTS MOVEMENT, THE CITIZEN
JOURNALISTS, AND ACTIVIST
GROUPS LIKE "MOMS DEMAND
ACTION" WHO BROUGHT THIS
ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF
MAIN=STREAM MEDIA.
>> REPORTER:YOUTUBE VIDEO
'MOMS DEMAND ACTION' PROMO
VIDEO - DRAMATIC.
"MOMS DEMAND ACTION"
RECENTLY RELEASED THIS VIDEO
INTENDED TO BE A PARODY OF
FACEBOOK'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY
"LOOK BACK" VIDEOS.
>> REPORTER:THE VIDEO TRIES
TO PROVE HOW FACEBOOK MAKES
IT EASY FOR GUNS TO BE
BOUGHT AND SOLD ONLINE -
WITHOUT ANY CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND
SOMETIMES, WITHOUT EVEN
SHOWING I.D.
>> REPORTER:THE ORGANIZATION
IS RUNNING AN ONLINE
PETITION THAT HAS GAINED
OVER 90,000 SIGNATURES
ASKING FOR FACEBOOK TO ENACT
POLICIES PROHIBITING GUN
SALES.
>> REPORTER:A SIMILAR ONLINE
PROTEST IS TAKING PLACE AT
'CHANGE DOT ORG' WITH
CURRENTLY OVER 94,000
SIGNATURES.
>>"THESE PLATFORMS ARE
BEING USED FOR THE ILLICIT
TRANSACTION OF FIRE-ARMS IN
SOME QUARTERS OF AMERICAN
SOCIETY AND THAT IS A FACT.
"
>>
"AND THAT IS WHAT THE
ARTICLE IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT
HOW EASY IT IS FOR JUST
ABOUT ANYONE WITHOUT I.D.,
PERHAPS A CONVICTED FELON,
WITH SOME CASH AND A HAND
SHAKE AND DRIVE OFF WITH A
GUN. "
>> REPORTER:WHEN RICHARD
BEGAN HIS INVESTIGATION HE
FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
PUBLIC PAGES AND GROUPS ON
FACEBOOK THAT ARE GEARED
TOWARD GUN ENTHUSIAST.
SOME OF THE NAMES OF THESE
PAGES SEEMED TO IMPLY
SOMETHING .
LIKE, "GUNS FOR SALE",
"SELL MACHINE GUNS", AND " I
LOVE GUNS"
SOME OF THESE PAGES APPEAR
TO HAVE A TON OF INTERACTION
AND HUGE NUMBERS OF
FOLLOWERS.
>>"WITHIN THESE PAGES I WAS
FINDING CHAT LOGS THAT
INCLUDED OBVIOUS MINORS,
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLERS AND
SUCH, THAT WERE LOOKING TO
BUY, SELL, OR TRADE ILLICIT
HANDGUNS.
>> REPORTER:RICHARD SHOWED
ME A TEXT MESSAGE EXCHANGE
FROM HIS PHONE THAT HE HAD
WITH SOMEONE HE MET ON ONE
OF THESE PAGES SELLING GUNS.
REPORTER: OK HOW MUCH IS THE
RIFLE?
FACEBOOKER: $550 WITH 90
ROUNDS OF AMMO.
"THE INDIVIDUAL SAID, NO YOU
DON'T NEED I.D. IT'S $550
BUCKS I'M WILLING TO MEET
YOU HERE AND GIVE YOU 90
ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, NO
QUESTIONS ASKED, NO I.D. "
>> REPORTER:RICHARD SAYS HE
SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A
LOT OF MINORS LOOKING FOR
GUNS.
>>"THERE WAS A JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT IN NEW MEXICO
WHO WAS REALLY ADAMANT ABOUT
WANTING TO TRADE HIS 30
GALLON WATER FISH TANK FOR A
HAND GUN OR A GUN OF SOME
SORT. AND THERE WERE PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN TALKING TO HIM
ABOUT PERHAPS FACILITATING A
TRANSACTION LIKE THAT."
>> REPORTER:SPEND A FEW
MINUTES ON ANY OF THESE
PAGES AND YOU WILL BE
SURPRISED HOW EASY IT IS TO
FIND A GUN FOR SALE.
>> REPORTER:A LOT OF THE
POSTS LIKE THIS ONE FOR AN
AR-15 MACHINE GUN HAS THE