Etsy has started cracking down on coronavirus merchandise

Etsy is escalating its response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak by removing merchandise on the platform that mention the virus or COVID-19, the respiratory illness it causes in human beings, according to a new report from BuzzFeed News. Hundreds of listings have already been removed under the new policy.

The decision is aimed, it seems, mostly at combating misinformation, as countless items listed on Etsy have been falsely claiming to protect against the virus, the company says. As a result, however, BuzzFeed News notes that a fair amount of innocuous and parody merchandise like t-shirts that read “Straight Outta Wuhan” and even science-related and educational products like coronavirus-shaped crochet art are also being flagged for...

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