04-02-2016 15:00

Gun enthusiasts in America may have to work a little harder in the future when buying weapons online.

Facebook has announced a ban on users from coordinating person-to-person sales of firearms. The company has come under fire of late for its use to sidestep background checks on gun purchases.

And following a continued string of mass shootings in the US, President Barack Obama has urged social media companies to clamp down on gun sales organized on their sites. Earlier this month, the president announced a series of executive orders to tighten regulations on firearms sales, including those conducted online.

The ban will cover platforms including Facebook, used by 1.59 billion people every month, and Instagram, used by a further 300 million. It will prevent users from using their personal profiles to advertise guns for sale or to arrange purchases between users.

Licensed retailers, however, will be allowed to continue advertising firearms on Facebook for transactions outside of the company’s service.

Difficult words: enthusiast (a person who is very interested in something), sidestep (to not deal with something), come under fire (this is a joke and means two things: to be in trouble and to have someone shoot a gun at you), string (a series), urge (to tell firmly), clamp down (to stop something), transaction (a deal).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com