Policy changes go into effect next month.

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.

  • breadsmasher@lemmy.worldEnglish
    143·
    5 months ago

    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

    • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
      271·
      5 months ago

      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.

    • greenskye@lemm.eeEnglish
      12·
      5 months ago

      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