Etsy’s latest ban on sex toys and erotic items, effective from 29 July, has stirred significant controversy.
The platform says it aims to align with evolving industry standards, but sellers are unhappy, forecasting major revenue hits.
Backdrop to the Ban
Etsy has introduced new regulations effective from 29 July that ban sex toys and erotic items from its platform.
The move is part of the platform’s efforts to align with “evolving industry standards”. Items exposing body parts, such as female nipples or the cleft between the buttocks, are also prohibited.
Seller Reactions and Concerns
Affected sellers are deeply disappointed, predicting severe impacts on their revenues.
Anna, the founder of Simply Elegant Glass, expressed her feelings of betrayal as a long-term Etsy contributor.
“As creators who have helped make Etsy what it is and who have remained loyal to their platform for years, we feel betrayed,” she stated.
Etsy’s Defence
Alice Wu Paulus, representing Etsy, defended the policy, saying it aims to maintain the creative spirit while adhering to industry trends.
She explained, “We carefully crafted this policy with the goal of continuing to enable creative expression and the spirit of our marketplace, while taking into account evolving industry standards.”
This decision comes amid growing pressure on online platforms to shield under-18s from explicit content and eliminate harmful materials.
Impact on Sellers
Many sellers like Anna find the transition to another platform daunting as a significant portion of their income relies on Etsy.
Anna has specialised in adult glass products since 2015 and finds moving to platforms like Shopify challenging.
Simply Elegant Glass raised concerns via an open letter on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting more robust content-filtering tools instead of a blanket ban.
Global Perspectives
An anonymous seller from the Czech Republic echoed these concerns, stressing that many businesses reliant on Etsy would suffer a significant drop in income.
This drop could potentially force them to seek new employment.
Mike Stabile of the Free Speech Coalition condemned the decision, labelling it as “sweeping sitewide censorship”.
Positive Feedback
Some sellers support the new rules on Etsy forums.
However, they have questions regarding enforcement.
Specifics of the Ban
The updated policy outlines specific bans, including:
Adult toys designed for insertion into the body
Pornographic materials, including vintage magazines and films
Items modelled by humans showing genitalia, the cleft between the buttocks, or female nipples
Explicit non-photographic art depicting sexual acts.
Historical Context
This is not the first instance of controversy surrounding Etsy’s policy updates.
In 2015, the platform faced backlash for introducing rules on the sale of spells.
Etsy’s new policy has undoubtedly shaken its seller community.
While some agree with the changes, many see it as a harsh move that might put their livelihoods at risk.