Facebook, Gumtree wait for users to report ads exploiting coronavirus

Facebook has promised to do more to stop essential items being advertised at massively inflated prices but one in demand item is not on the list.

Facebook will expand a ban on ads for facial masks and coronavirus cures to include other items like hand sanitiser as the government pledges to crack down on “supermarket gangs” buying up stock to cash in on the pandemic.

But 2020s most sought after product: toilet paper, won’t be included in the ban.

“To protect people from inflated prices and predatory behaviour, in addition to masks, we're also banning hand sanitiser, surface disinfecting wipes and COVID-19 test kits in ads and commerce listings,” Facebook head of communications Antonia Sanda told news.com.au.

“We’ll be ramping up our automated enforcement for ads and commerce next week. If we see abuse around these products in organic posts, we'll remove those, too,” Ms Sanda said.

But until that “automated enforcement” comes into place, sellers are still exploiting the pandemic in an attempt to cash in on fears of scarcity, despite repeated calls from the government that there is plenty of stock to go around if people just buy what they need.

Exorbitant prices for toilet paper, as well as ads for hand sanitiser remain up on Facebook and other marketplaces.

RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus updates

This Facebook Marketplace post for 36 rolls of toilet paper asking for $1350 tells scared shopper to ‘get it while you can’.

Hand sanitiser is also being sold on Facebook Marketplace.

RELATED: Science behind Aussie toilet paper frenzy

RELATED: Doctor’s blunt warning on handshakes

Facebook’s main concern has been targeting ads claiming to offer a coronavirus or COVID-19 cure, which doesn’t yet exist.

It also has a dedicated channel set up for local governments to share listings that violate the laws.

Presumably this expedites the process for them being taken down ahead of ones reported by your average Facebook user, but the social media platform is still encouraging those users to report posts they believe are in violation too.

It comes as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, one of Australia’s most high-profile coronavirus cases thus far, promised to come down on “supermarket gangs” buying essentials to sell on the black market “like a tonne of bricks”.

“I think they're sending some of the product overseas or selling it in a black market arrangement,” he said on Sydney’s 2GB radio station yesterday.

While it calls to mind meetings in back alleys, there’s only so much toilet paper you can fit inside a trench coat.

Selling essentials on online marketplaces is a much more efficient way, and that’s why in recent weeks we’ve seen ads for things like toilet paper and face masks on sites like eBay and Gumtree asking for exorbitant prices.

RELATED: Reasons why we can’t stop touching our faces

Toilet paper is still being sold on Gumtree until you go and report it.

Some are selling it for cheap or giving it away for free to people who need it.

Gumtree isn’t exactly cracking down on the sales but is encouraging shoppers to report anything that looks like it’s taking advantage of the pandemic.

“As a community marketplace, Gumtree allows users to trade within the confines of the law,” a company spokesperson told news.com.au.

“However, as a community platform, we strongly encourage users to be reasonable and take care of one another, especially in light of the public health situation. Gumtree operates a report and take down process and we encourage users to use the ‘Report Ad’ function to flag any concerning ads that breach our policies, terms of use, or are believed to be unlawful.”

But it hasn’t ruled out taking more proactive measures in the future.

“As the hours and days progress, we’ll continue to review our policies and offer information that will help our users to trade as safely as possible.”

RELATED: X-ray shows how coronavirus destroys lungs

Facial masks are another way people are trying to cash in.

That review has led to an update to that policy after this article was published.

Gumtree revised its policy on Friday afternoon.

“As a community marketplace, demonstrating respect and sensitivity to our users is of huge importance to us. To curb pricing practices that run counter to the community-minded spirit of Gumtree, from Friday 20 March, Gumtree will temporarily ban listings for health care masks, including N95/N100 and surgical masks, hand sanitiser/gel, disinfecting wipes and toilet paper.

“Gumtree operates a report and take down process and we encourage users to use the ‘Report Ad’ function to flag any concerning ads that breach our policies, terms of use, or believed to be unlawful.

“For users planning Gumtree transactions, we encourage you to review our COVID-19 Safety Precautions and safe trading tips,” the company said in a statement to news.com.au.

But even when sales are banned, opportunistic sellers find ways around them.

In America, Amazon has been cracking down on third-party sellers cashing in on demand for facial masks.

While it’s been removing posts, sellers have been getting around it by taking an existing item that already has good reviews, switching the description and images, and using the listing to sell the prohibited products.

As reported by Wired this week, on Wednesday the 148th most popular book being sold on Amazon wasn’t a book at all, but a box of 50 disposable face masks.