Harder to Get an Ad or a Gun?

When what should be easy is hard and what should be hard is easy, something is out of whack. Craig Smith has this Perspective.

Recently I tried to run a Facebook ad. I created a podcast I wanted to promote. But, since my podcast is about “Social and Political Issues” I had to jump through some crazy hoops to prove I wasn’t a Russian troll.

Facebook wanted to confirm my identity. Fair enough. So I had to upload a high rez image of my Driver’s License. Next I had to go through four rounds of questions, like “which of these cities did you once live”. Then I had to wait 3-10 days for a physical letter to arrive at which time I had to enter a 6 digit code into my account.

Amazing right? No, because it’s just getting started.

My driver’s license wasn’t sufficient. So they asked for my passport. This didn’t qualify either, because their system, valued at over $140 billion, couldn’t find me in their database. They then suggested I visit a notary office.

All this, mind you, to run a $20 ad to promote an amateur podcast.

Why am I telling you this?

Because in the next five minutes I can go online, buy a gun, and have it in my hands much sooner and with way fewer questions asked than this $20 Facebook advertisement.

You see, while Facebook is going to great lengths to connect Craig Smith to an ad, it can be difficult for law enforcement to connect a gun to a person. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms have to hand-search boxes of paper files in some instances to identify the owners of guns used in a crime. No national gun registry.

Am I anti-gun? No. I own guns.

But, for what it’s worth, I’d vote to make it much harder for people to get them, and I’m even one of those wing-nuts who would limit firearms to those approved for hunting purposes only.

Now if only I could find a way to promote this idea on Facebook….

With a Perspective, I’m Craig Smith.

Craig Smith lives in the Bay Area and works in Digital Advertising.