A muting, a booting, and threats of legal action

The Muting: seller MIZombie has been silenced for a month. We didn't see this when it happened, but you can read his rant about it on his blog. From this example we learn yet another unwritten rule of the Etsy forums: Yes, it's okay to say that someone hates America, but no, it's not okay to tell that person to STFU.

The Booting: seller Rivkasmom/Sweet15 has had her account permanently deleted from Etsy. On October 30th she reported to us that she received an email from Emily at support@Etsy informing her that her accounts would be permanently terminated on Nov 7th, and until that time she would have access to her accounts to collect her business history and pay her Etsy bill. No specific reason was given, only a mention of "previous transgressions" and "a history of disruptive behaviour". However, since Rivkasmom had been permanently forum-muted earlier this year, we have to wonder just why Etsy decided to up the penalty 10 months later without explanation. Making vampire cupcakes and ignoring the Bugs forum must have gotten a little boring, we guess.

But as it turned out, she was unable to log into her account as of October 30th, receiving only an error message informing her that her account had been suspended. That's a fucking brilliant way to help someone pay their Etsy bill, admin. We bet you broke a sweat thinking up that piece of genius.

The Legal Threats: Rivkasmom received yet another message later that day in which Etsy informed her they were logging all of her IP information, and saying that this information plus her personal information was being sent to the Etsy legal team, who would take action against her if she chose to use Etsy.com again. She was also told to expect a phone call from their attorneys by the end of the next day.

On November 4th, Rivkasmom received a registered letter from the Etsy legal team, reiterating the TOS and demanding that she shut down all Etsy accounts and cease all further actions and communications. Apparently they forgot they had already shut down her accounts 5 days previously. Admin, might we recommend a day planner or other record-keeping device to help you avoid embarrassing yourself in the communications department once again?


So, dear EB readers, this is the warm, fuzzy, community-minded "human" face of Etsy. Sure is ugly, isn't it? Once again the kangaroo court is in full swing, accusing and trying and convicting all without ever actually stating what the guilty person is supposedly guilty of. And pardon us if we just say that the legal threats seem completely fucking unnecessary. Don't you have bigger fish to fry, like pornographically-minded sockpuppets constantly running amok in the forums, a never-ending barrage of resellers, and new handmade venues popping up all over the internet preparing to give you some real competition? Once again it looks like you've grossly overreacted to one minor issue while a hundred other important ones go completely ignored. If your legal team is that bored - handing out cease-and-desist letters to Etsy teams trying to use the Etsy name at their events can't be all that exciting, we know - then find a better use for them. Icing cupcakes, perhaps.

Mute Salute Treasury

We got wind of this great treasury put together by kcroteau, featuring sellers who have been muted or banned.

Check it out and give 'em some love, cause Etsy sure doesn't.

And if you ever do any treasuries that are bitch-worthy, send 'em our way.

Another Mute Salute

We had the unfortunate pleasure of being entrusted with the news that several longstanding Etsy members were muted in the forums once admins returned to work on Monday and others have been sent formal warning letters. Ooooh, big bad scary admin. 'Don't work weekends and carry a big stick' isn't exactly the Teddy Roosevelt quote you all are trying for.

Supposedly, this thread got out of hand around page 54, though we think if admin had shut it sooner, or muted one person preemptively based on problems in other threads over the course of several months, it would have solved the problem of muting 5, possibly more, people. Which begs the question, does Etsy have a troll on the payroll?

The following people are now entitled to use the EB star or overlay when they can change their avatars in a week (Some have emailed us directly, others have been included by fellow mutees, please correct us if we get it wrong):

SocoCreative

SherryTruitt

MorganSilks

Meringueshop

TwigandHeather

For taking Etsy to task and trying to make Etsy a better place, we salute you!

A Mute Salute: Goodbye VeryBigJen

VeryBigJen, an EtsyBitch commenter and a very nice gal, has just informed us that she has been "indefinitely" muted on the forums because of these remarks:

Etsy's lack of tools for sellers sneakily makes them into tools for etsy.

Or maybe that it means Etsy staff are tools.

I'd prefer etsy design something right than having yet another goddamned work around.

I refuse to reset my printer and mess up my custom settings, ruin future print projects when I forget to change it back na dhaving to reprint it again, and waste even more materials and ink, all to cover their failure get off their lazy asses and do some QA work.

If they could just once design something right the first time I'd have a farking heart attack.

stellaloella says:
We hear your concerns on this matter, and it's sparked some good internal discussions.
-----
Do any of them resemble a unflattering puppet show where you call us whiny poopyheads? Cause that's the "in house discussion" I see in my head.

VBJ, as with WindysDesigns, you were a voice of persistence. You will be missed in the forums, if for nothing else the lulz and your take-no-prisoners way of saying it how it is.

Etsy's put itself in the position to have some much worse things said about them, and there are others on the forums who say much, much worse than anything that VeryBigJen has ever said, yet they are still allowed to post.

Way to go Etsy, quiet those who call you out on the carpet for being less than your potential. How very professional.

Awards for the Valorous

Oh, how the battle lines have been drawn! Its time to pull a chair up and award the following people with valor awards.

Let us not forget the battles they fought, some won and some lost, but all fought valiantly. Their battle armor no doubt has damage, but they still move forward in hopes of making Etsy a better place for all.

Jessica, the seller who came forward admitting her mistake. You are alright in our book for coming clean.

quirke, for making sure that the lampwork glass artists were heard. That was a most excellent battle.

antb, for smacking down an overly smug know-it-all in the forums. It was brilliant.

Windysdesigns, for always telling it like it is and making sure that Admin is held accountable. We have heard that she has been muted indefinitely. *plays butt trumpet TAPS*

SherryTruitt, GreenMamba and SocoCreative, for bringing the glaringly apparent flaws in the current methods of communication from Etsy staff and that sellers pay for this service. That, and lighting a fire under their butts over the views issue.

Here are your latest recipients of valor awards. Ladies and gents, wear it loud, wear it proud, but never forget!

or this overlay for your current avatar

RecoveryBabe has been muted!

Indefinately is the word for annoying Revolving Dork and being surly. We like surly. No. We LOVE surly.

So. This is for Recoverybabe, and the other walking wounded like Emckinstry, Quirke, Eclipse, Blondezillabeads4fun, Verybigjen, Halflyng and the myriads of others ever muted on Etsy.

Remember, we here at EtsyBitch respect you for pushing the boundaries in the name of making things better, and in your honour I shall fart Taps.

(If you are one of the many muted and want a smaller version of this noble badge for your own blog, it is down on the left side.)