Why Shopify won’t give Breitbart the boot

Q Why does Shopify host stores like Breitbart? A We don’t like Breitbart, but products are speech and we are pro-free speech. This means protecting the right of organizations to use our platform even if they are unpopular or if we disagree with their premise, as long as they are within the law. That being said, if Breitbart calls us tomorrow and tells us that they are going to switch to another platform, we would be delighted. A Instead of imposing our own morality on the platform, we defer to the law. All products must be legal in the jurisdiction of the business.

Q

Does Shopify advertise on Breitbart’s website?

A

No, we do not advertise on Breitbart. Breitbart uses Google Adsense to earn income through advertising, and while we do use Google to buy such ads, we specifically instructed Google to not allow any Shopify ads on their site. This has been in place for months. Q What exact role does Shopify play? A We offer a software service in the form of an e-commerce platform which hundreds of thousands of businesses and entrepreneurs use to sell millions of products online. We are a service provider. We do not, and will not, refuse the Shopify service to anyone based on their political views, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. Doing so could set a dangerous precedent of exclusion. Q Does Shopify sell Breitbart’s products?

A

We offer a platform which allows businesses and entrepreneurs to sell products. We do not sell products on any merchant’s behalf.

Q

Do you endorse Breitbart or their products?

A

No. Just as Facebook and Twitter do not endorse the views expressed on their platforms, using Shopify does not come with an endorsement. In the last election, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump used our platform to sell merchandise, as did Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz. To reinforce our neutral stance, Shopify (unlike many other companies) has not, and will not, donate money to the Republican, Democratic, or any other political party.