Facebook has suspended the account of Smith & Wesson, a longstanding gun manufacturer. The company responded by expressing gratitude towards Elon Musk and his social media platform X for championing the principles of free speech and constitutional rights.
On X, Smith & Wesson shared a screenshot of the suspension notice from Meta, Facebook’s parent company, expressing their disappointment and the obstacles they face in adhering to Facebook’s dynamic community guidelines on firearms.
Smith & Wesson has been in operation for 170 years.
The company, whose Facebook page boasted over 1.6 million followers, lamented the indefinite suspension which occurred on November 22nd, exactly 15 years after the page was established. Smith & Wesson is actively seeking to have the account reinstated, emphasizing the impact of such platforms on their ability to communicate and engage with their audience.
In a post on X, Smith & Wesson reiterated its appreciation for Musk and X, stating, “In an era where free speech and the right to bear arms are under constant attack, we want to thank @elonmusk and @X for supporting free speech and our constitutional rights guaranteed by the 1st and 2nd Amendments.”
Musk directly responded to the post, affirming his support for constitutional rights with a message that included gun emojis, saying, “We restored the gun emoji and believe in the Constitution.”
