• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Ebay offensive material policy - Just the beginning of censorship, already happening? Whats the scoop?
3 3

Started by Phill the Governor,

631 posts in this topic

F For Fake

F For Fake

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, thehumantorch said:

Censorship definition

"Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient.  Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, and other controlling bodies"

Private Institution definition

"Independent entity owned by a non-State entity, such as a firm, business enterprise or individual. Although the principal activity is non-educational, it may develop, finance or implement activities in the domain of ICT in education."

Censorship is not limited to public libraries or public institutions.  Combined with what's currently going on in the media it's pretty clear to me that this is censorship and it won't stop here.

Just to be clear, in case my tone isn’t easy to read, I’m not trying to be combative or start a fight, or make anyone mad. 

That being said: 


Was it censorship when eBay decided that we couldn’t sell digital codes to comics and movies? Was it censorship when they decided some items were adults only and others were acceptable to be listed in public areas? There are thousands of items that eBay has changed their stance on over the years, from a variety of categories, and have decided they don’t want sold on their site. It’s not censorship, it’s a business decision. If eBay thought that they’d make enough money allowing this stuff to be sold on their site to outweigh the number of complaints and bad pub they’d receive, then they’d still allow the books to be sold there. eBay isn’t taking a moral stand. eBay doesn’t have any morality ha They’re covering their financial butts.

There are countries in the world where people have to deal with actual censorship, in that they could be put to death for saying dangerous things. Not being able to sell a book on eBay is an inconvenience. It’s not worth getting agitated about. There are probably hundreds of thousands of copies of these books in circulation. If anyone wanted a copy, they surely had plenty of time to get one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ken Aldred

Ken Aldred

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, bababooey said:

EvmkppBUUAM9-HG.jpg

Interesting.

Ahead of its time that one.  Just read that it's going to be China's technique of choice for screening incoming visitors for Covid.  It was on Apple News in the UK.

So, topical, and unlikely to be pulled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
THE_BEYONDER

THE_BEYONDER

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Phill the Governor said:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ebay-dr-seuss-books-listings-removed

This line really caught my attention and is quite worrisome considering who we are letting draw the line of what is "right" and what is "wrong":

eBay Corporate Communications Specialist Parmita Choudhury said. "We're currently sweeping our marketplace to remove these items. It can take some time to review all existing listings and provide education to impacted users. We're also monitoring the newly published list to be reviewed."

When asked why listings of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, for example, could still be found on eBay, Choudhury responded, "The item you mentioned is also prohibited on our marketplace — thank you for flagging. With millions of transactions happening every day on our platform across more than 190 markets, we are constantly evaluating and making improvements to ensure prohibited items remain off eBay."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JollyComics

JollyComics

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, Ken Aldred said:

Interesting.

Ahead of its time that one.  Just read that it's going to be China's technique of choice for screening incoming visitors for Covid.  It was on Apple News in the UK.

So, topical, and unlikely to be pulled.

Believe it or not.  If I ran the zoo books are now hot selling. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l2632&_nkw=if+i+ran+the+zoo&_sacat=29223

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Phill the Governor

Phill the Governor

Posted
  • Author
Posted
23 minutes ago, Larryw7 said:

Wait until someone brings Schomburg war covers to eBay management's attention.

This is what I'm saying.

 

From what I can tell, this has the potential to put certain comic books and art and collectibles we collect into the "taboo" genre that can't be sold publicly anymore. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
stynxno

stynxno

Posted
Posted

So I think the correct analogy to this situation isn’t golden age comics but the recent antisemtism in Incredible Hulk. Once marvel said they were going to change it, eBay was flooded with folks trying to profit off the antisemitism.  This isn’t censorship but whether a private company wants to be associated with people speculating on racism. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jcjames

jcjames

Posted
Posted (edited)

If everything that offends someone were removed from stores, there'd be nothing left to buy.

Regardless of whether the decision comes from gov't law or private business policy it does not matter.

See Woolworth's lunch counter. No gov't law forced blacks to sit at separate tables - that was a private business decision. And it was wrong.

Yet are those defending/excusing feebay's censorship by claiming "private business can do what it likes" willing to also defend Woolworth's right to segregate (or even ban) black customers?

 

Edited by jcjames
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bird

Bird

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, jcjames said:

Yet are those defending/excusing feebay's censorship by claiming "private business can do what it likes" willing to also defend Woolworth's right to segregate (or even ban) black customers?

generally people in the US do support the right of private businesses to have exclusionary policies. Or at least no one complains too loudly.

Many years ago I tried to go with my wife, then girlfriend, to Spa Lady (I think it was) for exercise. No men allowed. There are hotels for women only as well.

Country clubs.

etc

If I myself think those policies are wrong I will not support the business. But these things exist, and it is not too hard to find them

 

Edited by Bird
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jcjames

jcjames

Posted
Posted (edited)
26 minutes ago, Bird said:

generally people in the US do support the right of private businesses to have exclusionary policies. Or at least no one complains too loudly.

Many years ago I tried to go with my wife, then girlfriend, to Spa Lady (I think it was) for exercise. No men allowed. There are hotels for women only as well.

Country clubs.

etc

If I myself think those policies are wrong I will not support the business. But these things exist, and it is not too hard to find them

 

I agree, and I do the same thing.

However, today there are way too many people who feel powerful by organizing online #OffenseOfTheMoment crusades and spend their days SEARCHING for things to tear down, ban or censor and people to protest against, denigrate and get fired. And it is almost entirely coming from one ideological extreme. That creates the APPEARANCE of a social movement even when most people are against such things. Yet the silent remain silent so the only ones who are heard are those who incessantly shout #OffensiveOfTheMoment.

A 70(?) year old Dr. Suess book does not deny anyone entry into a public diner or forcibly segregate people according to color - but today's hysterical #OffenseOfTheMoment crusaders see no difference (actually I think they do) so they can use it to continue exerting power over a mostly silent society who mostly disagrees with them, yet who disagree in silence.

Individualists like you and I freely pick and choose who we will do business with as our individual choices. However, the #OffenseOfTheMoment crowd who want to feel powerful work to pick and choose which businesses, products and people the rest of us will be allowed to do business with.

 

Edited by jcjames
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
3 3
Go to topic listing