E-commerce site Etsy is removing all merchandise tied to QAnon because the pro-Trump conspiracy theory is causing potential harm.
Merchants have been selling QAnon T-shirts, necklaces, and stickers via the website, but on Wednesday Etsy said it would begin pulling down the products, according to Insider, which was first to break the news.
“Etsy is firmly committed to the safety of our marketplace and fostering an inclusive environment,” an Etsy spokesperson told PCMag.
The company didn’t cite a specific incident that prompted the QAnon ban. However, many supporters of the conspiracy theory have baselessly claimed COVID-19 is a hoax while accusing Hollywood elites and Democratic politicians of being pedophiles and part of Satanic cult.
“Our seller policies prohibit items that promote hate, incite violence, or promote or endorse harmful misinformation. In accordance with these policies, we are removing items related to 'QAnon' from our marketplace,” the Etsy spokesperson said.
A few merchants behind the QAnon products on Etsy are already calling out the e-commerce platform for censorship and for removing pro-Trump products. However, Etsy said “we reserve the right to remove material that we feel does not reflect the mission or spirit of our marketplace.
“We want Etsy to be safe, welcoming, and respectful for everyone, and we are taking this action to protect our community,” the Etsy spokesperson added.
The e-commerce site is taking action a day after Facebook said it would ban all QAnon pages, groups, and Instagram accounts for their propensity to spread harmful misinformation. In Facebook’s case, the company cited QAnon supporters for blaming "certain groups" for sparking the wildfires on the US West Coast, which Facebook said diverted the attention of local officials fighting the fires.
In response to the crackdowns, QAnon supporters have already begun shifting tactics, and are starting to drop the words “Q” and “QAnon” to avoid getting removed on major internet sites. At the same time, merchants can continue to sell their QAnon gear on other platforms such as Amazon and eBay, where the products remain. We’ve reached out to Amazon and eBay to see if they’re considering similar bans and will update the story if we hear back.