Sheriff Says Proposed Gun Law Not Practical

Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace thinks a newly proposed handgun bill from State Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, will not provide enough benefits considering how social media checks on those applying for a handgun permit in New York will affect residents’ privacy and cause larger workloads to be required by investigators statewide. 

The new bill submitted by Parker on Nov. 14 details a proposal for law enforcement to change state gun laws to require more checks on those applying to carry a pistol or revolver. If the bill is passed, authorities would be allowed to search social media and internet usage for any red flags, similar to those that have preceded some mass shootings.

Permit applicants would have to consent to provide investigators with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat passwords, so that agencies in charge of background checks, like the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, could check the past three years’ worth of social media content, both public and private. A year’s worth of internet search results from Google, Yahoo and Bing would also be required for investigators to skim through in search of red flags.

Content investigators would have to be on the lookout for includes defamatory content (such as racial slurs, discriminatory behavior or biased language against those of different genders, sexual orientations, religion, age and disability), threats against the health and safety of others, talks or acts of terrorism and other issues deemed necessary by the New York State Police.