SalesForce, a customer relationship management (CRM) technology company designed to help with commerce, recently updated their acceptable-use policy. The policy change essentially tells firearms manufacturers and gun store retailers that they're no longer allowed to utilize the service to collect payments because of products and goods that they sell.
Specifically, they don't want their product being used for transactions involving "high capacity" magazines, unfinished lowers and firearms with a thumbhole or folding stock.
From the updated policy:
Worldwide, customers may not use a Service to transact online sales of any of the following firearms and/or related accessories to private citizens. Firearms: automatic firearms; semi-automatic firearms that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any of the following: thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, grenade launcher or flare launcher, flash or sound suppressor, forward pistol grip, pistol grip (in the case of a rifle) or second pistol grip (in the case of a pistol), barrel shroud; semi-automatic firearms with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds; ghost guns; 3D printed guns; firearms without serial numbers; .50 BMG rifles; firearms that use .50 BMG ammunition. Firearm Parts: magazines capable of accepting more than 10 rounds; flash or sound suppressors; multi-burst trigger devices; grenade or rocket launchers; 80% or unfinished lower receivers; blueprints for ghost guns; blueprints for 3D printed guns; barrel shrouds; thumbhole stocks; threaded barrels capable of accepting a flash suppressor or sound suppressor.
The policy change is a way for the company's executives to obtain their desired gun control without Congress passing legislation.
It's very evident the policy language came from Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) infamous Assault Weapons Ban legislation. After all, the very specific features that are listed are common on modern sporting rifles.
"This is corporate virtue signaling at best. At worst, it is an effort to squeeze out of existence the industry that makes it possible for American citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights, and equip our military and brave law enforcement officers who protect our nation and our communities," the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Director of Public Affairs Mark Oliva wrote in an opinion piece.
According to the Washington Post, SalesForce may be widely unknown to the public but their influence in massive:
While Salesforce is hardly a household name, it is a dominant provider of software and services that help businesses manage their customers. With roughly 40,000 employees and a market value of nearly $120 billion, it has become a behemoth in San Francisco. Its branded skyscraper also towers over the city as the tallest building and a major landmark.
Large banks, like Bank of America, have played similar cards in the past, saying they wouldn't allow their customers to accept payments for AR-15s, despite the firearm being fully legal.
What's taking place is nothing shy of unreasonable. The Second Amendment is a Constitutional right, not a mere suggestion. Corporate CEOs who are unhappy with what's legal in this country need to fight that battle on the legislative front or get out of business all together. Part of offering a service means offering everyone the service as long as they're within the confines of the law. If these companies did this to any other industry, people would be up in arms but because firearms are "controversial" and people are uneducated about firearm legislation, Silicon Valley gets away with it.