Reported Facebook to Trading Standards… Weapons

[Octoposse]

I suspect nothing will happen, but let’s see . . .

Facebook “knows” I’m in the UK, had all those blindingly clever algorithms . . . but I keep getting ads for weapons that are prohibited to sell or possess in the UK. I look at them which - I assume - prompts the algorithms to show me more.

I report the ads to Facebook who do . . . nothing. Used to be varieties of flick knife, then “Peaky Blinders” themed saps (add unauthorised use of images to the list of transgressions), now it’s extendible batons. Oops, sorry, ’trekking poles’. 16” trekking poles - ideal for those short of stature.

Toss up between Trading Standards and the Met Police, so went with the former.

[Mr Miata]

Unfortunately these online companies don’t care.

eBay has many scammers or blatantly counterfeit products. Amazon had blatant price gouging during the covid pandemic and Tripadvisor is full of restaurants with fake reviews.

None of these companies do anything about it.

[Riley Blue]

On my laptop I use FB Purity ( www.fbpurity.com ) but the bogus advertising on Facebook I see on my PC has reached ridiculous levels: blatant phishing, scam retailers, dodgy medicines. Occasionally I report them but I've yet to receive a positive response from FB's customer services bots.

[Ziplobb]

Facebook
what can I say ? as a registered firearms dealers who can only sell to persons authorised by our strict licensing system FB will not allow RFDs to advertise. They will pull you page without warning. A mere picture if a shotgun with a price to it sends them into a frenzy. Not surprised its pushes ads for illegal stuff whatever ‘system’ they use to police weapon sales is programmed by idiots.

[Octoposse]

MrBogSmith said:

Thankfully you didn’t waste police time reporting the ads on a website no one is forcing you to use.

As a Crime & Intelligence Analyst, I probably know enough to game the system so that some Police time would be spent at least looking at the complaint. But, on balance, Trading Standards is probably the place to start - even though I helpfully gave them a list of four offences that could apply (albeit I don’t know the status or legal duties of the social media platform itself). Will probably try my MP as well, and maybe the PCC, just to get some sort of ball rolling.

But, I have to disagree if you think that weapons out on the street (especially in the hands of young people) isn’t a problem? (Not a problem for me - I am at negligible risk statistically, my wife even less. But my 12 year old son . . .).

[dudleybloke]

I thought I was buying components for a nuclear weapon but when I got them back to Libya I found it was just a load of old pinball machine parts.

[voyds9]

dudleybloke said:

I thought I was buying components for a nuclear weapon but when I got them back to Libya I found it was just a load of old pinball machine parts.

Is that a load of balls?

[GranpaB]

I've never had adverts for weapons or similar pop up on facebook.

Having said that, all the ads i get are way off the mark target wise so i have no idea how they judge what to advertise

[Donbot]

Octoposse said:

But, I have to disagree if you think that weapons out on the street (especially in the hands of young people) isn’t a problem? (Not a problem for me - I am at negligible risk statistically, my wife even less. But my 12 year old son . . .).

Considering they tend to stab each other with kitchen knives a cosh is a less worse option.

[Export56]

Watching one of those depressing police stop action things last week, some known scumbag was stopped driving under drugs and they found one of those batons in his car, did him for offensive weapon, excellent.

[Mr Miata]

Export56 said:

Watching one of those depressing police stop action things last week, some known scumbag was stopped driving under drugs and they found one of those batons in his car, did him for offensive weapon, excellent.

What sentence did he get

[Trevor555]

Riley Blue said:

On my laptop I use FB Purity ( www.fbpurity.com ) but the bogus advertising on Facebook I see on my PC has reached ridiculous levels: blatant phishing, scam retailers, dodgy medicines. Occasionally I report them but I've yet to receive a positive response from FB's customer services bots.

Thank you so much for this, I was wondering if there was a way to stop all the stuff I'd rather not see.

[Octoposse]

MrBogSmith said:

I think it's a waste of police time reporting mis-targeted ads / ads that break FB's T&Cs to them.

Illegal to possess. Illegal to purchase. Illegal to supply. Some of the advertisements themselves are illegal (Section 1 Knives Act 1997). Yet Facebook get a free pass!

[Pica-Pica]

Have a word with Nick Clegg, President of Glabal Affairs, Meta. Email MP, mentioning the issues and Mr Clegg’s responsibilities in this.

[Wackywoo105]

I begrudgingly joined FB recently to view a holiday resort group. I can see why Martin Lewis sued them and think he should do so again. All I ever see are advertorials from him telling me to draw all my money out of the bank and stick in some dodgy fake investment platform. Once I’ve been on the holiday I will be shelving the account.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

I've reported straight up child porn appearing in public groups and you just get the "We did not find the content to breach our policy" yada yada.

Facebook doesn't give a fk.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Wackywoo105 said:

I begrudgingly joined FB recently to view a holiday resort group. I can see why Martin Lewis sued them and think he should do so again. All I ever see are advertorials from him telling me to draw all my money out of the bank and stick in some dodgy fake investment platform. Once I’ve been on the holiday I will be shelving the account.

The damage is done, you've given them your data and personal information already. Be sure to permanently close it though and then contact FB separately to request that all data held on you is destroyed, not just 'half close' it which is what they try to steer you towards when clicking through the closure options.

I'm on the fence with the whole Martin Lewis thing. On the one hand, I work in financial services and it's painfully clear that he is an often dangerous mouthpiece for the financially irresponsible masses who don't understand or know the basic consequences of transferring money to certain places/people. Paradoxically, because he so trusted and 'for the people', his image and name is used without his consent in order to promote nefarious activates and it's quite right that he should pursue that and go after FB and other platforms all guns blazing.

To the OP, you'd love Wish then. Flick blades, extendable batons, knuckledusters, tasers, little snuff spoons, heat lamps for home growing etc. are cheap and plentiful.

Edited by Koyaanisqatsi on Tuesday 6th December 13:17

[QBee]

Mr Miata said:

Export56 said:

Watching one of those depressing police stop action things last week, some known scumbag was stopped driving under drugs and they found one of those batons in his car, did him for offensive weapon, excellent.

What sentence did he get

A short one, with three spelling mistakes, four swear words, several unneccessary apostrophes and no punctuation, I believe.

[0ddball]

TheLoraxxZeus said:

I've reported straight up child porn appearing in public groups and you just get the "We did not find the content to breach our policy" yada yada.

Facebook doesn't give a fk.

Christ! My feed is 90% adverts, everything from the local plastic Barbie dolls doing cash in hand hair and nails, to $2 Viagra pills, but I can't imagine what groups you follow to see that.

[twing]

I only get those type of ads after clicking on similar something similar on Wish, etc