Etsy Stole My Earnings! How Big Investment Firms Use Etsy as a Trojan Horse for Digital ID
Wed Jan 28 2026
Notes and Links:https://ceramics.wherethealdersgrow.comEtsy took money intended for me from buyers who purchased my work. I created the items by hand, paid for the materials, skills, and studio & kiln fees, paid for shipping, and followed all of the rules and polices required by Etsy to do so. Their request for biometric data came after my items sold, and constitutes a material change in the contract between myself and the platform.The people who purchased my ceramics thought they were paying me, but instead they gave money to a company that is controlled by huge investment firms and can afford to hassle small business owners, who often give up in frustration and either supply personal information despite their reservations or walk away from their earnings. My sales were $392, and after Etsy’s fees I was due $318. How many other people are in this position? And how many people shop Etsy in order to avoid big tech companies like Amazon, without realizing that Etsy is operating as a trojan horse for digital ID?Please share your own thoughts and experiences with me in the comments. And if you would like to support my work, check out my ceramics, or send me a private message, you can find me at https://ceramics.wherethealdersgrow.com_____________________________________________________________________If you would like to contact me, my website is: https://theradicalcenterconsulting.com/ and I am on twitter @JLeslieElliott And if you appreciate this ongoing project and would like to support my continued work in this area you can chip in at any of the following (thank you very much!): https://www.paypal.me/jleslieelliott https://www.buymeacoffee.com/radicalcenterhttps://www.patreon.com/theradicalcenter
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Notes and Links:https://ceramics.wherethealdersgrow.comEtsy took money intended for me from buyers who purchased my work. I created the items by hand, paid for the materials, skills, and studio & kiln fees, paid for shipping, and followed all of the rules and polices required by Etsy to do so. Their request for biometric data came after my items sold, and constitutes a material change in the contract between myself and the platform.The people who purchased my ceramics thought they were paying me, but instead they gave money to a company that is controlled by huge investment firms and can afford to hassle small business owners, who often give up in frustration and either supply personal information despite their reservations or walk away from their earnings. My sales were $392, and after Etsy’s fees I was due $318. How many other people are in this position? And how many people shop Etsy in order to avoid big tech companies like Amazon, without realizing that Etsy is operating as a trojan horse for digital ID?Please share your own thoughts and experiences with me in the comments. And if you would like to support my work, check out my ceramics, or send me a private message, you can find me at https://ceramics.wherethealdersgrow.com_____________________________________________________________________If you would like to contact me, my website is: https://theradicalcenterconsulting.com/ and I am on twitter @JLeslieElliott And if you appreciate this ongoing project and would like to support my continued work in this area you can chip in at any of the following (thank you very much!): https://www.paypal.me/jleslieelliott https://www.buymeacoffee.com/radicalcenterhttps://www.patreon.com/theradicalcenter