E-commerce platform Etsy that sells handmade, vintage items and craft supplies, says it is stamping out “harmful misinformation… from knitters making MAGA-themed beanies, according to Breitbart.
“Conservative author and activist Michelle Malkin reported that Etsy user “Deplorable Knitter” had her beanie hats bearing the “Stop the Steal” slogan, a Republican rallying cry against voter fraud, banned from the platform,” Breitbart reports.
“Trump Derangement Syndrome strikes crafters AGAIN. My friend Deplorable Knitter told me her #StopTheSteal hats have been banned on Etsy,” said Malkin in a tweet.
The hats are still available for purchase via Deplorable Knitter’s Instagram page.
Malkin, a self confirmed crocheter, wrote, “Here’s the email notification from Etsy: ‘Certain types of content are not appropriate for the Etsy marketplace. This includes content that promotes or endorses harmful misinformation, including items that can obstruct election integrity.’”
THREAD: Trump Derangement Syndrome strikes crafters AGAIN. My friend Deplorable Knitter told me her #StopTheSteal hats have been banned on Etsy. /1 pic.twitter.com/APcEoZIhXg
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) December 2, 2020
Etsy confirmed that Deplorable Knitter’s hats were indeed removed for violating the platform’s rules on “harmful misinformation.”
Etsy’s policy states:
Harmful misinformation is characterized by the propensity for false or inaccurate information to cause real-world harm. This includes misinformation that endangers a member’s or the public’s health or safety, or that obstructs civic engagement or election integrity. It also includes content that amplifies people, places or organizations as targets of harassment or violence based on misinformation. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Items or listings with misinformation that impedes a member’s civic engagement, such as registering to vote, voting, or participating in the census
- Items or listings with misinformation that risks the health or safety of the public or members, such as anti-vaccine claims
- Items or listings with misinformation that encourages harassment or violence towards people or groups, such as holocaust denial claims
According to Breitbart, Etsy is banning MAGA-supporting hats, however many items dedicated to the violent, extremist “Antifa” movement are available for purchase through the platform. These include a button featuring a spiked, bloody baseball bat featuring the slogan “bash the fash.”
Many of the Antifa-themed listings are still available as of this article’s publication, Breitbart reported.