4 ms·

As mentioned in the article, this is primarily the result of a campaign from Collective Shout: https://www.collectiveshout.org/open-letter-to-payment-processors

by jjcm 1y ago

As mentioned in the article, this is primarily the result of a campaign from Collective Shout: https://www.collectiveshout.org/open-letter-to-payment-processors https://www.collectiveshout.org/open-letter-to-payment-proce... What isn't mentioned is there are some pushbacks against this. If you're opposed to credit card companies being able to effectively deem what is and isn't legal to purchase, consider supporting one of these efforts: The ACLU has an open letter to Mastercard urging them to reverse this action, with the primary messaging that deplatforming sex workers makes their jobs more dangerous: https://action.aclu.org/petition/mastercard-sex-work-work-end-your-unjust-policy https://action.aclu.org/petition/mastercard-sex-work-work-en... There's also the Fair Access to Banking Act. The primary point of the bill is CC providers shouldn't be deciding legality of what can and cannot be paid for. This puts restrictions on any bank/payment provider with over 50b in assets to not be able to restrict payments to legal content: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/401 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/401 I'd definitely encourage you to either write to your representatives or sign the open letter if you're opposed to this.

crooked-v 1y ago
> sign the open letter > By completing and submitting this form, I agree to receive emails, and, if I have entered a phone number, phone calls and texts (including automated recurring text messages) from the ACLU and its state affiliates at the contacts I provided. Fuck no. I get enough of that "YOU MUST DONATE IMMEDIATELY OR THE WORLD WILL EXPLODE" shit 24/7 already.
- elijahdl 1y ago
  Seems like a pretty small price to pay to have your voice heard.
- crtasm 1y ago
  I'd like to think it's very easy to unsubscribe from the emails?
  - crooked-v 1y ago
    Those specific emails? Sure. But not the ones that will show up for the next 10 years from groups you've never heard of continually begging for money.
    - RajT88 1y ago
      Exactly. It is very clear they sell their mailing lists to other causes as a way of getting funding.
- jjcm 1y ago
  Agree with that, and fwiw I took the path of writing one of my senators. Here's what I wrote: The Honorable Maria Cantwell United States Senate 511 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Cantwell, I am writing as your constituent to express my concern about recent actions by advocacy groups pressuring payment processors and card networks to restrict access to legal businesses based on content disagreements. As a small business owner operating a social news platform, I am facing increasing challenges from organizations like Collective Shout, which are pressuring Visa, Mastercard, and payment providers to deplatform websites hosting legal adult content. While my platform contains less than 1% NSFW content, which I actively moderate to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, I now face the risk of losing payment processing services simply for hosting content that these groups find objectionable. This creates an untenable situation for small businesses like mine. I diligently remove illegal content and maintain appropriate moderation standards, but being forced to moderate based on the subjective moral standards of third-party advocacy groups—particularly foreign organizations—undermines both business viability and democratic principles of free expression. The financial infrastructure of our economy should not be weaponized to enforce the moral preferences of activist groups, especially when the targeted content is legal under U.S. law. Small businesses cannot afford to navigate an ever-changing landscape of subjective content standards imposed by unelected organizations operating outside our democratic processes. I respectfully urge you to consider supporting S.401, the Fair Access to Banking Act, which would help protect small businesses from discriminatory practices by financial service providers. This legislation would ensure that legal businesses are not denied essential financial services based on political pressure campaigns or subjective content judgments. Thank you for your time and consideration of this important issue affecting small businesses and free expression online.

by jjcm 1y ago

crooked-v 1y ago

> sign the open letter > By completing and submitting this form, I agree to receive emails, and, if I have entered a phone number, phone calls and texts (including automated recurring text messages) from the ACLU and its state affiliates at the contacts I provided. Fuck no. I get enough of that "YOU MUST DONATE IMMEDIATELY OR THE WORLD WILL EXPLODE" shit 24/7 already.

elijahdl 1y ago
Seems like a pretty small price to pay to have your voice heard.
crtasm 1y ago
I'd like to think it's very easy to unsubscribe from the emails?
- crooked-v 1y ago
  Those specific emails? Sure. But not the ones that will show up for the next 10 years from groups you've never heard of continually begging for money.
  - RajT88 1y ago
    Exactly. It is very clear they sell their mailing lists to other causes as a way of getting funding.
jjcm 1y ago
Agree with that, and fwiw I took the path of writing one of my senators. Here's what I wrote: The Honorable Maria Cantwell United States Senate 511 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Cantwell, I am writing as your constituent to express my concern about recent actions by advocacy groups pressuring payment processors and card networks to restrict access to legal businesses based on content disagreements. As a small business owner operating a social news platform, I am facing increasing challenges from organizations like Collective Shout, which are pressuring Visa, Mastercard, and payment providers to deplatform websites hosting legal adult content. While my platform contains less than 1% NSFW content, which I actively moderate to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, I now face the risk of losing payment processing services simply for hosting content that these groups find objectionable. This creates an untenable situation for small businesses like mine. I diligently remove illegal content and maintain appropriate moderation standards, but being forced to moderate based on the subjective moral standards of third-party advocacy groups—particularly foreign organizations—undermines both business viability and democratic principles of free expression. The financial infrastructure of our economy should not be weaponized to enforce the moral preferences of activist groups, especially when the targeted content is legal under U.S. law. Small businesses cannot afford to navigate an ever-changing landscape of subjective content standards imposed by unelected organizations operating outside our democratic processes. I respectfully urge you to consider supporting S.401, the Fair Access to Banking Act, which would help protect small businesses from discriminatory practices by financial service providers. This legislation would ensure that legal businesses are not denied essential financial services based on political pressure campaigns or subjective content judgments. Thank you for your time and consideration of this important issue affecting small businesses and free expression online.