Gun applicants in NY will have to hand over social media accounts

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to reporters about legislation passed during a special legislative session, in the Red Room at the state Capitol, July 1, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. New York state is rolling out a novel strategy to screen applicants for gun permits by requiring people seeking to carry concealed handguns to hand over their social media accounts for a review of their "character and conduct." (AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File)

As missed warning signs pile up in investigations of mass killings, New York state is rolling out a novel strategy to screen applicants for gun permits.

People seeking to carry concealed handguns will be required to hand over their social media accounts for a review of their “character and conduct.”

It’s an approach applauded by many Democrats and national gun control advocacy groups, but some experts have raised questions about how the law will be enforced and address free speech concerns.