Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has fired a shot across the bow of Big Tech, launching a formal investigation into whether major social media platforms are intentionally suppressing Second Amendment-related content — a move that Washington Gun Law’s William Kirk calls a potential game-changer for online 2A advocacy.
According to Kirk, the platforms targeted — including Google/YouTube and Meta — have long made it nearly impossible for 2A creators to earn a living or even speak openly about firearms.
“Just about every single platform that we deal with candidly hates our guts,” Kirk said in a recent Washington Gun Law video.
“It thwarts the ability of content creators to make a living, but more importantly, it suppresses open conversation about our rights,” he said.
The Investigation
Attorney General Bailey’s civil investigative demands cite potential violations of Missouri’s fair trade practices law.
He accuses platforms of misleading users about how they handle 2A content and may be unfairly targeting posts about firearms, hunting, self-defense, and related political opinions.
In Bailey’s words:
“The right to keep and bear arms is one of the most sacred and cherished rights guaranteed to the citizens of the state of Missouri under the Constitution of the United States… If citizens are prevented from owning modern firearms, the government holds a monopoly on the use of force.”
The AG’s demand letters request internal documents related to content “banning, restricting, prohibiting, delisting, downranking, suppressing, demoting, demonetizing, or otherwise obscuring” any post, video, or image tied to gun rights.
That includes monetized content and communications with outside entities.
And those “outside entities” may include more than just advertisers. Bailey is also demanding communications between the platforms and the Biden Administration, FBI, ATF, and major gun control groups like Brady, Giffords, and Everytown — potentially exposing whether government pressure has been influencing content moderation policies.
Why It Matters
Kirk emphasized that this issue goes far beyond demonetized videos or throttled reach.
“This suppression of speech has a devastating impact on the exercise of Second Amendment rights throughout the entire country,” he warned.
While Bailey’s deadline for responses is set for August 26, the broader implications could reverberate well beyond Missouri.
If the investigation uncovers evidence of political targeting or collusion, it could provide the legal foundation for further action — and possibly federal scrutiny.
Kirk concluded with a stark reminder: “We can’t exercise our Second Amendment rights if we’re not even allowed to talk about them.”
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