US gun owners criticise tracking idea

(RT) ⸻ Discover is set to become the first credit card issuer to track users' gun purchases, a move that has outraged gun rights advocates. The company will include the merchant category code for "gun and ammunition shops" in next month's policy and product update, which will make it easier for authorities to investigate gun crimes. Second Amendment advocates argue the initiative violates the privacy of lawful gun owners and uses the private sector to achieve what the gun control lobby cannot accomplish in Congress. The National Shooting Sports Federation pointed out that even the New York Times columnist who initially proposed the merchant code idea said it was only "the beginning." Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) warned of a "surveillance state" by Discover's activities, prompting many Republican politicians to take to social media to raise the alarm. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) urged Congress to address the "MASSIVE problem" immediately, while Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Kentucky) warned the credit card company was helping to construct a surveillance state. Florida State Senator Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) introduced a bill that would fine credit card companies up to $10,000 per violation for tracking guns and ammo sales in the state. Discover insisted it was merely following the lead of other payment network companies that said they would adopt the code after it was cleared by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Visa and MasterCard have expressed support for the measure, but neither has set a date for adopting it.