Experts believe the operation is based in China and relies on a drop-shipping scheme. “It's probably a reshipper selling a controversial or illegal product,” says Zack Edwards, a senior threat researcher at cybersecurity firm Silent Push who specializes in online data ecosystems.
Typically, Edwards explains, drop-shippers wait for customers to place an order, then purchase items from cheaper online retailers, repackage them, and ship them to customers. Edwards says the operator behind the network is likely creating hundreds of websites, applying moderate markups to products, and creating Facebook pages to promote its items. “Even if some sites or ads are caught and removed, other sites continue to run,” says Edwards. “It's a spray-and-pray method.”
META explicitly prohibits advertisements promoting weapons, silencers and related modifications. According to Meta, ads are reviewed by an automated system with the support of human moderators. However, enforcement has been inconsistent: while at least 74 ad campaigns in our analysis were removed for violating the platform's terms, the rest appeared to run successfully.
After WIRED contacted Meta, the company said it had removed the ad and associated advertising accounts. However, a quick search of Meta's ad library revealed that nearly identical ads have been published.
“Bad actors continually evolve their tactics to avoid enforcement, which is why we continue to invest in tools and technology to help identify and remove prohibited content,” Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts wrote in a statement. Keep.”
Roberts says that many of the ads flagged by WIRED had little or no engagement, suggesting that very few people ever saw the content. However, at least two ads reviewed by WIRED had thousands of comments, including allegations that it was an ATF honeypot, complaints from self-identified buyers whose products never arrived, and even other Also included were testimonials from people who claimed the item worked as advertised. WIRED contacted several commenters who said they purchased the product — none responded.
The ads have also caught the attention of US Defense Department officials. An internal presentation from Pentagon staff seen by WIRED claims that targeted advertising for fuel filters was delivered to US military personnel on a Pentagon government computer. The presentation, which a source says was given to high-ranking general officers, including the US Army's chief information officer, raised flags over how social media algorithms are used to target service members going.
Meta's ad library provides limited transparency, making it unclear how these ads are targeted. The researchers suggest that Meta's powerful advertising tools, which allow advertisers to find specific audiences using detailed targeting options, could be used to reach gun enthusiasts or military personnel. While Roberts confirmed that Meta found no indication that these ads were targeting the military, WIRED found that advertisers could easily target users who listed their job title on their profiles as “U.S. Army” or Listed as “Military” – Meta guesses this includes an audience. Up to 46,134 people.
Meta's platforms have long struggled to prevent the sale of firearms and related products. Tech Transparency Project Joint Report October 2024 Found that more than 230 advertisements for rifles and ghost guns were run on Facebook and Instagram over about three months. Many of these ads directed buyers to third-party platforms like Telegram to complete transactions. In 2024, Two men from Los Angeles County He was accused of operating an “unlicensed firearms dealing business”, using Instagram accounts to advertise and market the sale of more than 60 firearms, including some untraceable ghost guns and scratch-offs. Weapons with serial numbers were involved. Both men have since pleaded guilty.
Silencers are rarely used in crimes, but their use is increasing. 5 million are registered in the United States, numbering more than 1.3 million in 2017. last month, 26-year-old software engineer Luigi Mangione 3D-printed gun reportedly used UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot on a street in midtown Manhattan after he was armed with a silencer.