Online retailer Etsy will prohibit sales of most sex toys, content that depicts sex acts and genitalia, and more starting July 29.
The indie seller published its Adult Nudity and Sexual Content policy yesterday, which states that sales of adult toys that are insertable, "applied to the genitalia," or "designed for genitals to be inserted into them" will be prohibited. That pretty much runs the gamut — dildos, vibrators, rings, plugs, and the like will be banned.
Hmm. If the concern is the Etsy brand value, I'd just spin it off into a new company that does permit it. If you've already built a network of people selling and buying stuff and the software to do so, terminating it just sends the value of that to zero.
The government has ceded the entirety of modern currency exchange to private companies, which is still crazy to me, but I honestly don't see people even question it that often. As if it's just a given that online purchases (the increasing majority of all economic activity) is subject purely to a ToS and not the laws and protections granted to us by the government.
As if it’s just a given that online purchases (the increasing majority of all economic activity) is subject purely to a ToS and not the laws and protections granted to us by the government.
What? Of course they're still subject to laws. There's so many laws and precedent based around banking that it requires specialized lawyers.
Could be liability? Someone sells a poorly made toy which breaks inside someone. Is etsy concerned they maybe held liable for that sort of thing being allowed to be sold? I don’t know - thinking out loud
Ehh. I mean, if they were just banning sex toys, I could believe something like that, but doesn't explain why they'd ban stuff other than sex toys simultaneously:
Etsy is also banning nudity for human models, including "gluteal clefts and female nipples/areolas." If you're selling a sexy item of clothing, for example, you must censor body parts, use a mannequin, or opt for just photographing the clothing.
"Sexual language" concerning incest or "referencing familial relationships" will also be banned now. The examples Etsy lists are "Daddy's slut" and "Choke me Mommy." As of publication, these terms are still searchable on Etsy, and so is nude content. Searches for "porn" come up blank.
Even like 'real' dildo manufactures tend to claim the toy is for novelty use only and don't recommend actually using the thing as an insertable object. Adult toys aren't really regulated, because that would mean legitimizing them which is icky to the government. So they'll never really be regulated for health and safety
If you can get your hands on them, try the clinear things. They're shaped like cotton swabs, except instead of a wad of cotton on the end, it has a little scoop.
It's like using a spoon to eat cereal instead of a hammer. I don't understand why people use hammers.
I bought one a few years ago for medieval reenactment stuff. Never planned to use it because I always hated the feeling of cotton buds. Then eventually got curious enough to try it.
Companies don't spin-off new competition. That would get everyone of the executives and the board fired. They kill competition. That's why it's mergers and acquisitions. Not spin-offs that meet the needs of consumers.