Facebook and Instagram Ads Push Gun Silencers Disguised as Car Parts
www.wired.com
A network of Facebook pages has been advertising “fuel filters” that are actually meant to be used as silencers, which are heavily regulated by US law. Even US military officials are concerned.

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.

  • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    131·
    2 days ago

    I wish they showed pictures because they actually are fuel filters, you need a threaded adapter but once you have that you could just as easily get the right size filter from autozone and screw it on the firearm. Idk if what they’re referencing came with and adapter or not because theres no pictures or mention of it.

    • Fondots@lemmy.world
      3·
      1 day ago

      I know the things you’re talking about, basically a thread adapter to screw an off-the shelf oil filter from auto zone or wherever onto your gun, and the first shot punched a hole through the other side.

      Also those adapters are legally considered a silencer and you still have to jump through all the same hoops to get one.

      That’s not the thing I’ve been getting advertised to me on Facebook as an oil or fuel filter

      The things I’m getting are a long thin metal tube with baffles inside and threads on one end that look basically like a textbook silencer/suppressor

      I also see them getting advertised as “solvent traps” for gun cleaning, which I suppose is marginally better than they’re advertising it for some sort of firearm use, but I know a silencer when I see one.

      Also if you’re using so much solvent that you have it oozing out the barrel while you’re cleaning the gun and feel like you need some sort of device to contain it, that’s a pretty sure sign that you’re using way too much solvent.

      Unless maybe you’ve just pulled a Soviet surplus Mosin Nagant out of a crate and need to clean 50 years of caked-on cosmoline off of the whole damn rifle. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mosin with a threaded barrel though.

      And I can’t think of any good reason that trap would have a hole at both ends, kind of seems like that defeats the stated purpose of trapping the solvent.

    • Bad_Engineering@fedia.io
      7·
      2 days ago

      I think you’re thinking of oil filter suppressors. They do require an adapter, but the ones the article is talking about are straight up firearm suppressors, they just don’t drill the hole in one end. Otherwise its a complete purpose built suppressor.