A new target for conspiracy theorists who think there is a covert group of child sex traffickers is Etsy, an online marketplace best known for selling handmade goods.
Social media users claim that Etsy is selling children to be abused because of what they refer to as “suspicious listings” on the website, which include downloaded photos of pizza that are selling for hundreds of dollars.
During the hectic holiday shopping season, one QAnon supporter shared screenshots from the website on X, now known as Twitter, with the message, “Don’t let them gaslight you anymore.”
The rumors are based on the long-disproved “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, which made a spurious connection between a Washington pizza shop and a covert Democratic child sex trafficking operation.
The story came to a head in 2016 when a man from North Carolina opened fire at the restaurant, saying he was going to look into the alleged crimes, but not hurting anyone. After then, he was taken into custody and given a lengthy prison sentence.
Etsy refuted the allegations of trafficking in an AFP statement. Although the firm stated it did not find any indication of a risk to children’s safety, it did remove the posts about pizza because it did not seem to be authentic.
A similar hoax surfaced in 2020, alleging that Wayfair, an internet store, was running a sex trafficking scheme while pretending to sell furniture. Social media users in that situation also posted screenshots of products that looked to be extremely expensive.
Although there is no proof connecting either retailer to human trafficking, the unfounded conspiracy theory surrounding QAnon has gained traction due to the accusations. They have been repeated by public individuals like Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, and journalist Liz Crokin.
“It used to be the conspiracies kind of died with the fanatics that attempted to spread them. Social media just magnifies and speeds up the process,” said Bond Benton, an associate professor of public relations at Montclair State University and an expert on extremist groups.
“This sort of mentality takes us to a really dangerous place where I can sort of rationalize violence against people that I don’t like.”
The Musk factor
The Etsy claims come on the heels of a renewed interest online in child trafficking theories — thanks in part to a shoutout from Elon Musk.
“Pizzagate is real,” said a meme the X CEO shared in late November.
Mike Fenster, a law professor at the University of Florida and a conspiracy theory expert, said influencers often latch onto QAnon-related narratives to boost their likes and followers on social media.
Benton said the correlation between Musk and the Etsy claim is “undeniable.”
In a study he co-wrote with Daniela Peterka-Benton, head of the Global Center on Human Trafficking, it was discovered that Musk’s posts drove over 9,500% spike in Pizzagate-related activity on X in comparison to the previous month.
According to Peterka-Benton, these conspiracies “have painted a distorted picture of what human trafficking is” and have the potential to negatively impact victims’ access to resources, legislative decisions, and public opinion.
Such tales’ proponents frequently urge others to conduct independent research on the subject, which may be one reason why they endure for so long.
“The research is not really ‘doing your own research.’ It is connecting the dots, a carefully laid-out trail by conspiracy people online,” Benton said.