BASC is urging its members to think twice about what they post and share on social media.
The warning comes after a man had his shotgun licence revoked by police after he ‘liked’ Facebook posts deemed offensive. He appealed the decision and won.
BASC’s dedicated firearms team has already reported a rise in calls on the issue.
Peter Glenser, BASC chairman and a barrister specialising in firearms law, said: “In the age of social media it can be so easy to like or share something without taking the time to fully understand the content.
“People should also think carefully about what they are posting and the image they are portraying not just to other people who shoot but to people who may not be familiar with what we do and why we do it.
“They should also bear in mind security implications. Make sure you avoid posting too much personal information.”
Duncan Thomas, BASC north director, said: “Social Media has some incredible uses and I use Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis both personally and professionally. It’s the modern, rapid way of communicating with an enormous range of the shooting community. It has however got certain disadvantages and there are many pitfalls for the inexperienced.
“Never post anything that can lead someone to your door or disclose details of your security arrangements, always close your profile down into “private only” where only your trusted friends and contacts can see your material.
“Always remember that even a deleted post is retrievable, nothing truly vanishes forever and a “screen grab” can seize instantly what you have posted, even in error. Never post anything your mother wouldn’t be happy viewing.”
If you would rather know who is reading your social media posts you should reassess your privacy settings to keep yourself and your information safe and secure.