Facebook has announced alterations to its Community Standard Regulated Goods Policy on 29th January 2016. The Facebook has banned unlicensed persons to sell firearms on its social media network. It is not first time that Facebook has particularly banned sales for specific item. Facebook previously restricted the sale, purchase and any kind of trade in unlicensed drug formula, marijuana and illegal drugs according to their regulated goods policy. The New York Times also indicated that this step has been taken due to the site is getting closer to the assistance of e-commerce model. The company introduced a project in December that directs users to local businesses and services after well-review on Facebook. It is important that Facebook has the ability to store credit card information of users.
Facebook also made it possible in the recent months sending peer-to-peer payments via messenger. A spokesman of the Facebook also said that the advancement of the Facebook towards site payments emphasized the need to update the content policy of the company. The head of Product Policy of Facebook, Monika Bickert also said in a statement that this step was taken due to a large number of Facebook users were using this platform to advertise their sale of goods including firearms. A large number of users have been using Facebook for the last two years in searching different products to sell and buy products. We are continuously developing, testing and launching our new products in order to provide much better experience for our users, so we are updating our regulated goods policies.