Olympic Shooter Gabby Franco was censored from LinkedIn for reportedly breaking the site’s advertising rule related to guns.
Bearing Arms reported on LinkedIn’s recent actions against Gabby Franco.
Gabby Franco was the first female shooter to represent Venezuela in the Olympics. As an accomplished author, speaker, competitive shooter, and instructor, she is recognized worldwide for her shooting skills and advocacy for the right to own and bear arms. Gabby’s 25 years of experience in Olympic, self-defense, and practical shooting have served as a platform to educate and empower thousands of people through live and virtual training across the United States and Puerto Rico. For over eighteen years, Gabby has shown her commitment to promoting the shooting sports by not only participating and winning medals in various competitions, but also sending a message of dedication, sportsmanship, and positive attitude.
Gabby’s father wanted to ensure his family knew how to shoot, including his daughters.
When she was a little girl growing up in Venezuela, Gabriella “Gabby” Franco’s father learned that the range at which he’d been getting concealed carry training had a junior shooting team. He was so enthused by the activity that he signed up Gabby and her two sisters for the team. In doing so, he set in motion a series of events that led to Franco being the first female shooter representing Venezuela in the Olympics, and later the only woman to progress to the final stage of The History Channel’s “Top Shot” championship.
Olympian Franco was sharing a picture on LinkedIn when she was banned.
Essentially LinkedIn, a website dedicated to professionals sharing their curriculum veritas and other occupational information, removed content from one of their members who was promoting occupational information.
What’s LinkedIn’s policy on firearms and the Second Amendment?
When it comes to advertising, they note firearms are prohibited:
Weapons, Fireworks and Other Violent Products or Services. Ads related to the promotion, use or sale of weapons, ammunition, fireworks or any other violent product or service are prohibited.
Alright, this was not an advertisement, it was a post. Further, it’s kinda laughable that LinkedIn lumps weapons in with “violent products”, as if the inanimate objects are invoking violence.
The “Professional Community” page on LinkedIn has some mention about weapons, but not firearms specifically:
Do not share harmful or shocking material. We don’t allow content that is excessively gruesome or shocking. This includes content that is sadistic or gratuitously graphic, such as the depiction of bodily injury, severe physical or sexual violence. We don’t allow content, activities, or events that promote, organize, depict, or facilitate criminal activity. We also don’t allow content depicting or promoting instructional weapon making, drug abuse, and threats of theft. Do not engage in or promote escort services, prostitution, exploitation of children, or human trafficking. Do not share content or activities that promote or encourage suicide or any type of self-injury, including self-mutilation and eating disorders. If you see signs that someone may be considering self-harm, please report it using our reporting tools and consider also reporting it to your local law enforcement authorities. Do not share material depicting nudity or sexual activity.
Ultimately, LinkedIn decided to do what it wanted. Like Twitter, the company’s management no doubt twisted their rules to meet their needs. The ends justify the means with communists and leftists.
On her Facebook page, Franco provided a solution for LinkedIn. She calls it a “modified” post suitable for sensitive souls.
Well done.