Hi John,

This week President Biden made it clear he wasn’t going to give up on an assault weapons ban.  He was adamant saying, “It’s time to hold every elected official’s feet to the fire and ask them, 'Are you for banning assault weapons? Yes or no?' Ask them,” Biden said. “If the answer’s no, vote against them.”

Yup.  But now we have another problem Congress must address.  And it’s once again related to social media and the abuse that occurs online.  I’m talking about the widespread availability of inexpensive so-called conversion devices -- known as "auto switches" or "auto sears" -- capable of transforming semi-automatic weapons into machine guns in a matter of moments.  Recently, Houston police officer William "Bill" Jeffrey, a 30-year-veteran, died in a torrent of gunfire from a criminal armed with an illegally converted weapon.

Availability of auto switches has been driven in part by the ease with which they can be made using cheap, 3D-printed parts and instructions available online.  A CNN review of YouTube based on key-word search terms revealed multiple videos that had collectively racked up more than 1 million views. One group of auto-switch instructional videos that remained online until August were linked to a man charged in December by federal prosecutors in Texas for allegedly making, possessing and transferring 3D-printed switches. 

In keeping with their typical MO, a company spokesperson said YouTube does not allow "content instructing viewers how to manufacture accessories that convert a firearm to automatic fire, or to sell those accessories on our platform.”

I’ve seen this movie before. The videos do lots of harm before YouTube, owned by Google, bother to pay attention. And if we don’t take steps to hold Google and social media accountable we’re all in danger—from guns and Google.  

Support Andy’s Fight on ActBlue to help elect leaders who will put a stop to this madness.  

Until next time,

Andy