Facebook Marketplace

2021: Service launch in Russia

In July 2021, the private advertising service Facebook Marketplace, which has been operating in the United States for several years, was launched in Russia.

A marketplace, such as Avito, allows you to search for specific items or view categories of items, products, or services. You can filter quotations by location, price, and other parameters. You can negotiate an item with the seller in Facebook Messenger.

We are very happy to launch Marketplace in Russia. We know that many already use our platforms to search and exchange goods. Marketplace will become a convenient platform for people where it will be easy to find new products, buy what is needed, or sell what you no longer need, "said Anna-Maria Treneva, regional director of Facebook, Instagram and Messenger in Russia .

To access the Marketplace service, you need to find its icon on the Facebook page. After that, the user can begin to study the goods, search and buy the necessary, as well as sell. By July 13, 2021, clothing, furniture, bicycles, etc., are sold on the platform.

The company recommends that when placing goods follow the rules of trade, when buying, use cash, imposed payment or transfers between individuals, avoid payment links and visit the payment site directly.

Remember that personal checks or bank transfer data can be fake, - recalls Facebook.

In addition, Facebook advises meeting with sellers and potential buyers in a public place, and if the meeting takes place at home - take a companion with you and tell the family and acquaintances about their plans. The company also advises to comply with all recommendations related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.^[1]

2019: How Facebook sells weapons

In mid-August 2019, The Wall Street Journal published an article on the sale of used firearms on Facebook Marketplace. Although Facebook prohibits the sale of weapons on the platform, including firearms, pneumatic and even paintball, sellers use a simple trick - they place offers to sell weapons cases.

In order not to put up for sale prohibited goods, some sellers on Facebook Marketplace place place ads with cases for storing weapons, assigning them a clearly overpriced price. At the same time, they advise potential buyers to write to the mail for more information. Such ads are code for buyers who want to purchase real weapons.

Facebook is actively trading in weapons, despite the ban

So, journalists of The Wall Street Journal found a user from North Carolina who sold a gun case for $950, although such an item can be found in the store for about $30. When journalists contacted the seller, he said that he was actually selling the AR-15, a popular semi-automatic rifle that had lit up in mass shootings in recent years. The seller shared a photo of the rifle with more than 670 rounds and told reporters that he received more than 30 answers to his offer within two hours.

Although it is not necessary to verify biological data at the national level in the United States when buying weapons, many states have stricter laws. Gun buyers on Facebook Marketplace are likely to be able to bypass this check.

Facebook assured that the company punishes users who trade weapons on the Marketplace, and also removes prohibited content. However, it is known that sales of prohibited goods on Facebook Marketplace began with its launch in October 2016.^[2]

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