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Gun sales on Facebook have some gun control groups concerned

Exchanges happening in college campus groups as well

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gun sales on Facebook -- unmonitored and unchecked -- have some gun control groups concerned.

The exchanges are going on in college campus groups as well.

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FSU Craigslist, a Facebook group where Florida State University students can sell items to each other, is a good place to pick up a couch, a TV and maybe even a gun.

Just this week, three guns went up for sale in the group with two of the posts being taken down by the social media giant. Promoting the sale of firearms is a violation of the website's policies.

But FSU student Erek Cullbreath, who's also a member of the students for concealed carry group, doesn't see the big deal.

"I think it's a manufactured issue," Cullbreath said. "We're not saying that mass shooters buy their guns through these private channels."

Still, gun control groups are concerned about the activity.

Private firearm sales in the state are legal. But Kathryn Grant, with the group Keep Guns Off Campus, said the lack of background checks, especially in an online Facebook setting, is alarming.

"The fact that people are able to obtain a gun without any scrutiny should be alarming to the campus community," Grant said.

"A constructive law that could help out would be maybe put on a felon's license, because that's what you need to show by law when you're purchasing it, put that they're a violent felon," Cullbreath said.

The National Rifle Association said that private sellers are not allowed to sell a firearm to someone who is suspected of not being allowed to own one.

Some of the students posting the guns for sale did not wish to comment on Facebook's policy.


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