*By Amanda Weston* A new bill in Illinois would require potential gun buyers to reveal their public social media accounts to state police. The ACLU is now speaking out against the idea, citing privacy and bias concerns. "The things that social media would show are one's political views, perhaps one's religion, and even in some instances someone's race," Edwin Yohnka, director of communications and public policy at ACLU of Illinois, told Cheddar. "And you know, how are those things then going to factor into that decision about whether or not to let someone purchase a firearm? It's just not something that really provides additional information that's useful, and at the same time provides an invasion into someone's personal beliefs that just isn't required for this purpose." Yohnka said social media typically doesn't reveal more relevant information ー like a potential buyer's arrest record or whether there are restraining orders against that person. The bill from Illinois State Rep. Daniel Didech comes just before the one-year anniversary of the fatal shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. After the attack, [disturbing posts](https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/us/nikolas-cruz-florida-shooting-suspect/index.html) on the accused shooter's social media came to light. “A lot of people who are having mental health issues will often post on their social media pages that they’re about to hurt themselves or others,” the Illinois Democrat told [CBS Chicago](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/06/gun-law-bill-social-media-illinois-background-foid/). “We need to give those people the help they need.” But Yohnka pointed to the state's ["red flag" law](http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=91&GA=100&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=2354&GAID=14&LegID=102977&SpecSess=&Session=), under which family members, law enforcement, and roommates can petition a judge to allow authorities to temporarily take guns away from those who are found to pose a danger to themselves or others. "There is a vehicle and a mechanism for protecting the public in that particular case, as opposed to this general sort of sweeping thing of looking through everybody's data," Yohnka said. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/aclu-concerned-about-illinois-bill-requiring-potential-gun-owners-to-reveal-social-media-to-police).

Share:
More In Politics
Remembering those lost in the Uvalde school shooting
The pain and grief from this week’s shooting in a 4th grade classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas is still with us. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier ends the week by pausing to remember some of the faces of the 19 children killed and their teachers.
Stocks Close Near Session Highs After Robust Retail Earnings
U.S. stocks ended near session highs to close Thursday's session after retailers released positive earnings results. Investors also continued to weigh the federal reserve's recent indication that the central will raise rates in an effort to curb inflation. Adam Johnson, Portfolio Manager for Adviser Investments, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Ten Years After Sandy Hook Gun Activists Urge Congress for Change
After the horrific mass shooting at a Texas elementary school, activists are once again urging Congress to take action. Trevon Bosley, a gun violence prevention activist, joined Cheddar News to talk about how to push legislators on the issue of new gun restrictions. “Even 10 years later the same sense of hopelessness from before," Bosley said, referring to the lack of change since the Sandy Hook massacre.
Load More