Etsy recently strengthened its ban on pornography and prohibited the sale of sex toys on its site, but two weeks later, the artisanal retail site still hosts thousands of listings that violate these criteria. Items such as crystal dildos, G spot vibrators, and explicit clothing with banned phrases are still available for sale on the platform. Despite Etsy’s efforts to enforce its policies, many violative listings remain on the site, prompting questions about the company’s enforcement methods.
The company defines pornography broadly as any material that explicitly describes or displays sex acts, but specific items produced by pornographic publishers such as Playboy and Brazzers are explicitly banned. However, searches for these terms on Etsy return multiple results, including vintage adult magazines and images of porn stars. While Etsy claims to have removed thousands of accounts since July 29, it continues to struggle with enforcing its policy on adult content.
One vendor of adult toys was forced to end sales on Etsy after receiving an automated enforcement message from the company, resulting in a significant loss of income for their small business. Etsy spokesperson Lily Glass did not provide a clear explanation for the continued presence of violative listings on the site. The company uses automated controls and human reviews to enforce its policies, but the persistent availability of mature content raises concerns about Etsy’s moderation efforts.
Etsy’s ongoing struggle to enforce its policies on pornography is not a new issue. Last year, the retailer was found to be hosting deepfaked nude images of celebrities, which were removed after being flagged by Forbes. Despite publicly announcing plans to address its porn problem, Etsy continues to host thousands of AI-generated pornographic images on its platform. The presence of mature content on the site has raised questions about the company’s moderation practices and its commitment to keeping its platform free of explicit material.
The move to ban pornography on Etsy may also be part of a broader effort to clean up the company’s image. In addition to its AI porn problem, Etsy has faced challenges with other types of AI-generated content, such as bizarre coloring books and cheap coffee mugs. The company recently hired a chief brand officer and released a new advertisement emphasizing its commitment to “keep commerce human.” Despite these efforts, Etsy’s profit dropped 14% in the second quarter of the year, highlighting the challenges the company faces in balancing its commitment to artistic expression with the need to enforce content policies.
The issue of online content moderation is a growing concern, especially as new laws like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) are being proposed to regulate harmful content on platforms like Etsy. NetChoice, a tech lobbying group of which Etsy is a member, has voiced opposition to KOSA, citing concerns about its constitutionality. The ongoing debate over content moderation and the regulation of online platforms highlights the complex challenges facing companies like Etsy as they navigate the delicate balance between free expression and the need to protect users from harmful or explicit content.
