Experts believe that the project is based in China and depends on the shipping system. “It’s possible that it’s a vendor that’s reselling adversarial or illegitimate products,” said Zach Edwards, senior threat researcher at cybersecurity firm Silent Push that specializes in online data systems.
Typically, Edwards explains, couriers wait for a customer to place an order, then buy the item from low-cost online retailers, repackage it, and ship it to customers. Edwards says that the operator behind the network may have created hundreds of websites, used central branding on products, and scoured Facebook pages to advertise their products. “Even if some sites or ads get caught and taken down, others continue to work,” Edwards said. “It is a way of blowing and praying.”
Meta expressly prohibits ads promoting weapons, silencers, and related modifications. According to Meta, ads are reviewed by an automated system supported by human moderators. However, enforcement was inconsistent: While at least 74 ad campaigns in our analysis were removed for violating the platform’s terms, some appear to have been effective.
After WIRED reached out to Meta, the company said it had removed the ads and associated advertising accounts. However, a quick search of Meta’s Ad Library reveals that they have been almost identical since publication.
“Bad actors are constantly changing their tactics to avoid enforcement, which is why we continue to invest in tools and technology to help identify and remove illegal content,” Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts said in a statement.
Roberts says many of the ads flagged by WIRED had low engagement, suggesting that few people ever saw the content. However, at least two ads reviewed by WIRED have had thousands of comments, including allegations of an ATF honeypot, complaints from consumers who pointed out that their products never arrived, and even testimonials from others who say the item worked as advertised. WIRED reached out to several analysts who said they bought the product—none responded.
These ads have drawn the attention of US Defense Department officials. An internal presentation to Pentagon officials, viewed by WIRED, says a targeted ad for a fuel filter was provided by US military personnel on a government computer at the Pentagon. The presentation, which the source says was presented to high-ranking officials, including the US Army’s chief information officer, raised flags about how social media algorithms were used to target service members.
Meta’s Ad Library provides limited visibility, leaving it unclear exactly how these ads are being targeted. The researchers suggest that Meta’s powerful ad tools, which allow advertisers to find niche audiences using granular targeting options, could be used to reach gun enthusiasts or military personnel. While Roberts confirmed that Meta didn’t see any indication that these ads were targeting the military, WIRED found that advertisers can easily target users who write their job titles like “US Army” or “military” in their profiles—an audience that approximates Meta is involved. up to 46,134 people.
Meta platforms have long struggled to prevent the sale of firearms and related products. An October 2024 joint report by the Tech Transparency Project found that more than 230 gun and ghost gun ads ran on Facebook and Instagram in about three months. Many of these ads direct consumers to third-party platforms like Telegram to complete transactions. In 2024, two Los Angeles County men were charged with running an “illegal gun business” that used Instagram accounts to advertise and sell the sale of more than 60 firearms, including rare ghost guns and weapons with scratch-off numbers. Both have pleaded guilty.
Silencers are rarely used in crime, but their use is on the rise—about 5 million are registered in the United States, up from 1.3 million in 2017. Last month, 26-year-old software engineer Luigi Mangione was said to have used a 3D-printed. gun that was fitted with a silencer to shoot and kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a street in midtown Manhattan.