Facebook does not allow the advertising of knives on its site. However, those wishing to reach knife enthusiasts can use a number of other routes available in social media.
The Facebook ban is part of the social media giant’s detailed rules on what is and is not allowed on the site. While Facebook has come under fire for allowing many kinds of advertising and political propaganda on its site, the advertising of knives is strictly banned.
The Facebook Policy
On the Facebook Advertising Policies webpage, an entire page focuses on weapons, ammunition or explosives. Knives are included on a list of other items that have absolutely nothing to do with knives.
The list includes:
- Firearms, including firearms parts, ammunition, paintball guns and BB guns
- Firearm silencers or suppressors
- Weapons of any kind, including pepper spray, non-culinary knives/blades/spears, tasers, nunchucks, batons or weapons intended for self-defense
- Fireworks and explosives
- Ads promoting the brandishing of firearms
That list raises the question of what a “culinary spear” might look like. But for those who wish to advertise knives, the rule is clear. Unless you are selling culinary or kitchen knives, you can’t do it on Facebook.
Confusion on Facebook
The Facebook policy has led to confusion. And that’s beyond the fact that one could argue a chef’s knife is every bit as “dangerous” as a hunting knife. Or that fact that plenty of knives used for camping are often put to culinary use.
The confusion has sprung from the fact that Facebook sometimes pulls knife ads even for knives that are explicitly culinary. For example, the social media site pulled down advertising for an artisan culinary knife company in Canada.
“We built a really good community there, but they banned us recently from advertising because they said we sold weapons and ammunition,” the company owner told CBC News Calgary. “We sell kitchen knives. The only thing we’re dangerous to is tomatoes.”
He eventually got the ban lifted by complaining about it on Twitter.
Other Avenues
For those looking to steer clear of Facebook altogether, there are other outlets that will allow for the advertising of knives.
Getting your own YouTube channel is a great way to reach new customers. Make sure you put your contact information into the “about” section so that interested parties can contact you. Once you are established and have started to add videos, search for others who might have an interest in the knives you offer and look in their “about” section for contact information.
Pinterest can work in the same way. Post attractive images of your products and make connections with others on the site who share your interests and might buy your products.
Advertise Knives
Another new and intriguing choice is Vero. Founded by a billionaire from Lebanon, the site offers an ad-free experience and plans to eventually charge a subscription fee. It promises not to use data mining or algorithms to influence users’ behavior. It also offers a new way for smaller companies to advertise their knives.
The Facebook ban on “non-culinary knives” could keep companies from reaching thousands, and it’s frustrating for those who have built up a network. But other sites offer smart knife companies a chance to promote their wares.
A kitchen or chef knife is a fixed blade knife so it is a hunting knife. They are the same thing under the law and regulations in Australia. Anyone can buy those knives. But they be carried out and handled only by licensed hunters in a private property with the sole purpose of hunting. Same rule applies to a kitchen knife you can use it at home but you can’t carry it or handle in public if you don’t have a specific reason that allow you to do so.
Pens, scissors craft knives… All can be as dangerous as real knives!!
True, any ordinary item can be used with the intention of harm.
I make knives for hunting as well as chef’s knives,etc. but I don’t know where to sell them due to Facebook marketplace IS allowing knives that are ABSOLUTELY JUST LIKE MINE, to be listed as chef’s knives and yet when I did this, Facebook flagged mine and pulled them down and disallowed them to be posted, yet those other knives are STILL AVAILABLE to this very day. Are they picking and choosing who they wish to pick on, or is it due to my knives are not their choice, so they take them down. Yes,it is hard to see the bigotry they are actively carrying out every time I see someone else being able to sell the same thing as I was and yet Facebook does nothing to them.
I have the exact same thing, i try but they take it down but there are hundreds of hunting knife ads but mine keep getting taken down.
I listed my pocketknives, and they get kicked also. YET there are many-many adds showing the same items up. Case XX, etc. etc. I DON’T GET IT.
Let’s sue their asses????
Totally agree! Same thing happened to me! I read the rules after they took down my ad (sale of a kitchen knife I no longer use – just one knife!) , their rules said I could advertise a kitchen knife, so I reposted making the ad clear that it was a kitchen knife. They took my ad down again and blocked me permanently from Marketplace and ALL buy/sell groups! Absolutely ridiculous and no one at Facebook is available to fix their stupid error!
Selling a pocket knife is a problem? Seriously Facebook, this woke childish behavior is beyond ridiculous. Most men carry pocket knives.
Well, I just got kicked out of Marketplace for trying to sell hunting knives. I checked first to see if other folks had similar knives listed, and there were lots of them! I’m a 72 year old grandma. I don’t even use these knives–they were my son’s and I’m just trying to declutter my collected stuff. I appealed FB’s decision, which promptly got me completely banned from selling OR buying or even accessing Marketplace. Crazy.