The Business of Guns

Firearms can be bought online, no background checks required.

does not buy or sell the guns, but rather connects buyers and sellers, which releases the site from the legal liability for the use of the guns themselves. The website states that “it is the sole responsibility of the buyer and seller to conduct safe and legal transactions,” although it offers very little information on how to do so in compliance with federal, state, or local law. Criminals and Online Gun Sales: Where Restrictions Don’t Apply A 2018 investigation by Everytown for Gun Safety (EGS) revealed that over 10 percent of potential gun buyers on Armslist.com had a prohibiting history, such as a felony conviction, that would make it illegal for them to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer—a ratio seven times higher than the number of prohibited persons who unsuccessfully attempt to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer. While this might seem like a high proportion, the EGS investigators lacked access to some data used in

Chapter 4: The Internet

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