Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., on Tuesday demanded that major social media companies take immediate action to prevent illegal firearm sales on their platforms, citing law enforcement concerns about the role of social media in youth violence.
Vasquez sent letters to the chief executives of Meta, Snapchat and Telegram, urging them to strengthen efforts to stop illegal gun sales to minors and other prohibited individuals, according to a statement from his office.
“Our communities cannot wait any longer,” Vasquez said in the statement. “In New Mexico, we’ve seen the devastating consequences of what happens when children access illegal firearms online.”
The congressman’s push follows discussions with New Mexico law enforcement officers who reported that guns purchased through social media platforms have contributed to gun-related violence, according to his office.
Vasquez pointed to a March mass shooting in Las Cruces that killed three teenagers. Four suspects were charged in connection with the shooting, three of whom were minors, and evidence suggests they were attempting to illegally sell firearms online, according to the statement.
In his letters to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel and Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, Vasquez pressed the companies on their efforts to prevent illegal sales of stolen firearms, stop minors from purchasing guns on their platforms, improve detection of bullying and violent threats, and strengthen partnerships with law enforcement.
The letters ask the companies to go beyond minimum legal compliance in preventing violence and illegal firearm sales to prohibited users.
Vasquez, who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, has previously introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at improving public safety, including the No More Narcos Act to protect students from cartels and the Stop COYOTES Act targeting human traffickers and drug smugglers.