More from the Muted

We got this today from Quirke and since we were given permission and the story is so fucking insane, we present it in its entirety.

If you ever doubted the running theory you can say anything on the Etsy Forums as long as you don't question admin's intelligence, motivations or "ah-thoritay"... this letter is for you. You have to supply your own cupcakes to maintain your sugar induced blissfull ignorance. We'd ask Etsy to respond but fuck them. We're not that kind of blog and their actions speak louder than words so who gives a crap what they say anyway.

Hello Bitches

I am writing to you to let you and your readers know what can happen to them if they openly criticize the failures of Etsy admin.

I have been muted for 7 days for this thread.

Three different admins – Rob W, Lauren, and Mary – weighed in on that thread but did not close it. In the end it was closed due to an argument between two people that had nothing to do with either myself or the issue at hand.

While that thread was still open, I received a convo from Stellaloella/Lauren. She told me she participated in the review process for featured items and had let the Content Team know about the item I saw that prompted me to start the thread. She also asked for other examples of rule-breaking that had been promoted. I sent her five examples.

On Friday I became aware that admin had featured both treasuries of a double-dipping curator on the very same day. I started a thread about it here, which was swiftly locked.

The next day I received the notification that I was muted for 7 days. They felt the need to hammer this home so much that they sent it to five different email addresses of mine, including one that is not attached to any Etsy account.

The given reason was "calling out". If it was calling out, why did that thread stay open, with three different admin posting in response, and only closed when two people became disrespectful to each other?

I was calling out admin. Sellers and buyers call each other out every day on the forums without being muted in response. People are abusive to each other every day without being punished. Apparently you can even get away with calling Matt a c*nt without repercussion. But point out admin is either willfully ignoring their own rules or too blind to notice when they're being broken, and you will get a week's detention. Reply to an admin who disingenuously asks for "examples", and get gagged.

Rule-breakers don't get punished, but people who point out rule-breakers do.

Incidentally, the item which prompted me to start that thread is still there, still breaking the rules.

You have my permission to publish this in its entirety.

God knows Quirke is no virgin to mystery Etsy mutings, but regardless - this is a completely insane banning.

For shame Esty, you should be embracing those who point out your mistakes, not punish them like petulant children when it's your site they are trying to improve. Maybe if you did your jobs you'd have less to panic about covering them up.