Thousands of ads on Facebook and Instagram have promoted “fuel filters” using videos demonstrating how they can be easily modified into gun silencers—a process that, without federal approval, could lead to felony charges. Despite Meta’s policies banning ads for silencers on the company’s social networks, the promotions have persisted for years, driven by what appears to be a single network of more than 100 Facebook pages marketing “fuel filters” that can be easily turned into gun silencers, WIRED has found. The devices sell for as little as $50.
Silencers, also known as suppressors, are heavily regulated under United States federal law. Purchasing one legally requires submitting fingerprints, passing a background check, and paying a fee to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Federal law allows people to build their own suppressors, provided they register the device with the ATF. But the ads don’t mention this key stipulation, marketing silencers to buyers who may not understand the legal risks.
“You know those things that are definitely not suppressors, even though they look just like suppressors,” a man says in a video that appears in many of the ads. “Well, but they’re still not suppressors, because they don’t have a hole in the other end. So, you can legally own one without going through the paperwork to own a suppressor, because it isn’t one.”
The ads often recycle the same text, referencing “light and durable air-grade aluminum,” and use videos stitched together from a handful of YouTube clips featuring firearms influencers and enthusiasts. The original creators of these videos are likely unaware their content is being used; one tells WIRED they had deleted the footage from YouTube years ago.
— Dhruv Mehrotra in Facebook and Instagram Ads Push Gun Silencers Disguised as Car Parts
I think the actual issue of import from the article is here: The presentation, which a source says was delivered to high-ranking general officers, including the US Army’s chief information officer, raised flags over how social media algorithms are being used to target service members.
This tells me the world, including our DoD, is still being run by woefully tech-ignorant luddites who have little to no grasp of what is going on around them. I honestly won’t be surprised when the inevitable day comes that the federal government gets completely shut down over a scareware browser hijack and it takes several days to find somebody to Ctrl+Alt+Del it away followed by several more days to authorize that individual to do so.
The question I have is is this –
Suppose I file, and am approved to create a silencer (A classic ‘Form 1’), am I then covered? I can hand the nice government man my approved paperwork to show I can legally create one.
Yes? No?
In typical government fashion they’ll never check your Form 1.
Trash your house.
Shoot your dog.
Cuff you in front of your neighbors.
Haul you in.
Inevitably discover your Form 1.
Drag their feet for months hoping to find some other crime of bureaucracy to charge you with.
Quietly dismiss all charges.
Act like it never happened and keep your suppressor part.
Your taxes will continue funding them.