Many Americans have resigned to the ubiquitous tracking of their daily movements and actions, whether it’s their daily step count, the route they take to work, or their internet browsing habits. It seems a small price to pay for the value our smartphones and other devices provide us. Technological advancements have made data a prized possession for companies to understand their customers better and, at times, for the government to monitor its citizens.
However, most people would acknowledge that there should be clear guardrails and limits on what data companies or the government should be able to collect, store, and track. In California, there is a serious test of those guardrails on the horizon.
In recent days, the major credit card companies American Express, Visa, and Mastercard announced that they would begin requiring unique merchant category codes (MCC) for firearms and ammunition retailers across the state of California. This would allow them to track and gather information about their customers’ purchases, such as what items were bought, how much money was spent, and the date and time of purchase.
The credit card companies claim their hands are tied in California, citing compliance with a forthcoming state law mandating the monitoring of suspicious weapons purchases set to go into effect in 2025. However, gun control activists are pressuring them to implement it nationwide.
Proponents of forcing MCCs onto firearms retailers claim that it will help prevent mass shootings, but the evidence to support this claim is scarce. In reality, it’s a form of boardroom gun control pushed by corporate executives, who are often pressured by anti-gun government officials, that would ultimately curb both the privacy and Second Amendment rights of Californians.
According to one report about the latest development, credit card companies claim that they “would not reveal information about the customer purchasing the gun or individual items purchased.” However, supporters of these MCCs believe they will help identify and apprehend bad actors before they’re able to commit a heinous act of violence. This would require the credit card companies to turn over personal data to law enforcement that can identify and locate a person of interest. Hence, it’s evident that the credit card companies would have the capability to disclose personal information about anyone purchasing a gun or ammunition with a credit card.
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Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that credit card tracking mechanisms will deter violent criminals who mean to harm innocent citizens. With the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in place, criminals are already blocked by federally licensed firearms dealers, and the MCCs would have no impact on already illegal transactions.
Further enhanced tracking by private institutions like credit card companies only allows the government to arbitrarily monitor lawful purchases by law-abiding citizens with no criminal history.
Singling out law-abiding gun and ammunition purchasers through the invasive and arbitrary monitoring of their credit card transactions will gradually erode the right to self-defense. Such measures must not be implemented in California or anywhere else.
Mike Lowney is the president of Delta Defense, the service provider to the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, and the board chairman for U.S Concealed Carry Association for Saving Lives Super PAC.