Source: AFP
Conspiracy theorists who believe in a secret kick of child sex traffickers have targeted yet another online retailer: Etsy, a site known for selling handmade items.
Social media users are pointing to what they say are “suspicious listings” on Etsy — including downloadable images of pizzas selling for thousands of dollars — as evidence that the platform is selling children for abuse.
“Don’t let them piss you off anymore,” said one QAnon supporter sharing screenshots from the site on X, formerly known as Twitter, during the busy holiday shopping season.
The rumors are based on the long-debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, which falsely linked a Washington pizzeria to an underground child sex-trafficking ring involving high-ranking Democrats.
The narrative came to a head in 2016 when a North Carolina man opened fire on the restaurant without hitting anyone, later saying he intended to investigate the alleged crimes. He was then arrested and sentenced to many years in prison.
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Etsy denied the trafficking allegations in a statement to AFP. The company said it found no evidence of a child safety risk, but removed the pizza-related posts because they didn’t appear to be legitimate.
A similar false theory emerged in 2020, accusing online retailer Wayfair of running a sex-trafficking business under the guise of selling furniture. In that case, social media users also shared screenshots of seemingly overpriced items.
No evidence has emerged linking any of the retailers to human trafficking, but allegations have taken off among proponents of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory. Public figures such as commentator Liz Crokin and former national security adviser Michael Flynn have reinforced them.
“It used to be conspiracies that died with the fanatics who tried to spread them. Social media just magnifies and accelerates the process,” said Bond Benton, an associate professor of public relations at Montclair State University and an expert on extremist groups. .
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“That kind of mentality takes us to a really dangerous place where I can rationalize violence against people I don’t like.”
The Musk Factor
Etsy’s claims come on the heels of renewed online interest in child-trafficking theories — thanks in part to an outcry from Elon Musk.
“Pizzagate is real,” said a meme shared by X’s CEO in late November.
Mike Fenster, a University of Florida law professor and conspiracy theorist, said influencers often latch onto QAnon-related narratives to boost their social media likes and followers.
Benton said the correlation between Musk and the Etsy claim is “undeniable.”
Research he conducted with Daniela Peterka-Benton, director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking, found that Musk’s posts increased Pizzagate-related activity on X by more than 9,500 percent from the previous month.
Peterka-Benton said these conspiracy theories “have painted a distorted picture of what human trafficking is” and can influence funding, policies and public perception in ways that harm victims.
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One reason such narratives have such longevity is because their proponents often encourage others to investigate the matter for themselves.
“Research isn’t really ‘do your own research.’ It connects the dots, a carefully plotted trail by conspiracy theorists on the internet,” Benton said.
Source: AFP