Google & Amazon Crack Down On Sales Of Firearm Accessories Following Dayton And El Paso Shootings
Following two mass shootings over this past weekend, Google and Amazon are cracking down on the sales of firearm accessories on their marketplaces, reported The Daily Mail. Despite sales policies that prohibited the sale of firearms and their accessories, both marketplaces continued to sell certain restricted items until taking action earlier this week.
Although Google had previously banned the sale of firearms and firearm accessories in 2012, which included guns, ammunition, tobacco and knives, items such as shotgun rounds and hollow-point ammunition were seen on its marketplace until the company decided to take action following the deadly shootings.
Among the items that Google has since removed include rifle magazines, ammunition belts and a 100-round, double drum magazine.
A spokesperson for Google commented to The Washington Post about the company’s policies on the sale of guns and ammunition.
“The sale of weapons, guns, and certain gun parts is strictly prohibited on Google Shopping. As soon as we found policy-violating results, we removed them and are working to prevent these instances from reoccurring.”
Amazon was also guilty of continuing to sell items that were supposedly banned according to their sales policies, which prohibits the sale of magazine loaders, cinches, extensions and kits that can be used to create gun magazines. However, a Butler Creek 25-round magazine was found among the site’s listings and pointed out to the company on Monday.
"Google and Amazon say they have removed gun-related shopping results that shouldn't have been there at all" https://t.co/0hFhs1jhie #Google #Amazon #guns
— Joanne Spruce (@JoanneSpruceC21) August 7, 2019
After Amazon was notified of the items being sold on its marketplace that contradicted its sales policies, a representative spoke out about the issue and confirmed that listings for rifle magazines and other banned products had been taken down.
“All sellers are required to follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account.”
Despite the crackdown on these items, both Google and Amazon continue to list gun-related items, such as gun grips and fake rifles on Google’s marketplace and a sponsored result for a.22 caliber air rifle from Crosman on Amazon.
The two major retailers decided to take action following two mass shootings over the weekend that took place at a Walmart in El Paso and at Ned Peppers bar in Dayton, Ohio. The El Paso shooting on August 3, carried out by 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, left 22 people dead and dozens more injured. One day later, 24-year-old Connor Betts entered Ned Peppers bar early in the morning and shot and killed 10 people.
The shootings have ignited more rallies and protests to push the government to take action on gun laws and create stricter gun control policies.
