Summary
Thousands of Facebook and Instagram ads have illegally marketed gun silencers disguised as “fuel filters,” violating U.S. federal law and Meta’s ad policies.
These devices, linked to a Chinese drop-shipping network, are sold for as little as $50 and promoted using recycled videos and stolen content.
Despite some ad removals, new campaigns quickly reappear, targeting niche audiences, including military personnel.
The ads have sparked legal, cybersecurity, and national security concerns, with critics citing Meta’s insufficient transparency and moderation tools.
The US statutes limiting suppressors are just plain stupid. FWIW, in many places in Europe, suppressors are MANDATORY. Yet these devices which reduce obnoxious and potentially dangerous noise are taxed and regulated heavily in the US for some reason. I can only think that the legislators who wrote these statutes are stupid and probably based their laws against suppressors on their hilariously inaccurate depiction in spy movies. Almost all suppressors reduce really really really fucking loud shooting to really loud shooting. They serve to eliminate some noise pollution. What’s not to like?
A lot of our legal prohibitions are largely based on what legislators see reflected in pop-culture and hollywood, because hollywood never takes creative-liberties with portrayals of reality.
Both sides are clueless but in different ways. Dems want to ban rifles that look scary (because clearly that means they shoot bullets faster or some shit) while ignoring the overwhelming majority of gun crimes are pistol related (wow amazing a gun you can fit in a pocket gets used in more crimes then one you have to sling over your back), while republicans want to let 8 year olds have AK’s.
I think the idea of them being illegal is so that if you shoot someone you will be heard. That was always my understanding. If it’s silent you could shoot a bunch of people before anyone realizes making it more dangerous
In real life suppressors make guns go from painfully loud to just very loud. You’ll still be heard