I tried to warn bloggers in May that PayPal would be coming for your site eventually.
Today Jeralyn Merritt and Bill Quick nearly joined the club whose only requirement for membership is that PayPal finds something they don't like about your site. They've appointed themselves the prosecutor, judge, and jury and if you don't like it - tough shit - there is no avenue for appeal. In Bill and Jeralyn's case they were able to retain there accounts by removing a link PayPal found offensive, but if (heaven forbid) that link had been to a female breast the PayPal instant account death penalty would have been applied.
Maybe this time people will get the message - NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LEAVE A BALANCE AT PAYPAL!!!
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Comments (15)
Paypal has reinstated TalkL... (Below threshold)1. Posted by arb | September 25, 2004 12:50 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Paypal has reinstated TalkLeft's account.
Still, beware.
1. Posted by arb | September 25, 2004 12:50 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 00:50
2. Posted by Jeff Harrell | September 25, 2004 1:00 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Just for the record … Paypal does have the right to decide who they do business with, do they not?
2. Posted by Jeff Harrell | September 25, 2004 1:00 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 01:00
3. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 25, 2004 1:28 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yes, they do. Just like we have the right to decide whether we do business with PayPal, or not.
3. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 25, 2004 1:28 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 01:28
4. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 8:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I must admit I'm a little surprised at conservatives and, especially libertarians, being so outraged by a small private company doing business the way it sees fit. I kinda thought we were *for* that, ya know?
4. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 8:59 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 08:59
5. Posted by Sharp as a Marble | September 25, 2004 9:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Meezer, you're missing the point. If we find a company doing something we don't agree with, we take our business elsewhere. I don't find what PayPal is doing to be worth my business (and I JUST signed up last week) so I shall be cancelling and going someplace else.
We're not arguing that PayPal doesn't have the right to do as they please, we're arguing that we're not pleased with what they're doing.
5. Posted by Sharp as a Marble | September 25, 2004 9:59 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 09:59
6. Posted by Michael Angier | September 25, 2004 10:33 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Keep in mind that PayPal accepts and even encourages USER REPORTS of violations of its "Acceptable Use Policy". With all the press attention over RatherGate, it is hardly surprising that some on the left might attempt to shut down free speech on the internet.
6. Posted by Michael Angier | September 25, 2004 10:33 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 10:33
7. Posted by Sharp as a Marble | September 25, 2004 10:42 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mike, they're not trying to stifle "Free Speech", they're simply trying to apply market pressure just like we're willing to do by exposing PayPal's policies.
Our only weapon is to apply more pressure than they are, doing so with our wallets. The left appears to hate the market so we have the advantage.
7. Posted by Sharp as a Marble | September 25, 2004 10:42 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 10:42
8. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 11:18 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yes, I do see that no one is saying they *can't* (or it's not legal) do what PayPal is doing. I still get a definite "pitchforks and torches" feeling about this, though. When my small town dry cleaners closed, I had to go elsewhere to find a new one. The first 2 I tried did a lousy job on my husband's shirts. The third did a good job and that is where I took my business. I didn't try to "drive" the first two out of business with a campaign of e-mails, though. As a disclaimer, I am a small business owner myself.
8. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 11:18 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 11:18
9. Posted by dick | September 25, 2004 11:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Came by from Armies of Liberation. Thanks for the tip. If they could find anyone offensive, it'd definitely be me.
9. Posted by dick | September 25, 2004 11:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 11:36
10. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 25, 2004 12:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Meezer, PayPal is no small company. Or more accurately, eBay, the company that owns it, is no small company.
10. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 25, 2004 12:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 12:42
11. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 12:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ah, now I see. It's an Evil Corporation. Well, go ahead on then.
11. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 12:51 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 12:51
12. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 12:58 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sorry, didn't mean to sound so snarky. I guess I simply don't understand why the furor. I try to avoid using PayPal myself (and have manged quite well, only using it twice, ever) because I think it's a royal pain to use. I figured its days were numbered from that aspect alone.
12. Posted by Meezer | September 25, 2004 12:58 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2004 12:58
13. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 26, 2004 1:51 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
When did I say it was an Evil Corporation? I just noticed that you seemed to think it was a small business, when it isn't.
13. Posted by blackbird4739 | September 26, 2004 1:51 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 26, 2004 01:51
14. Posted by Jay | June 19, 2005 9:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I was going to joke about "quick, someone snag gpay.com" since that's a likely name, being this is Google and all. But someone already has the domain, associated with usemybank.com, for onlinme debit payments. How funny.
14. Posted by Jay | June 19, 2005 9:56 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 19, 2005 09:56
15. Posted by Bill Quick | June 22, 2005 3:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
15. Posted by Bill Quick | June 22, 2005 3:29 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 22, 2005 15:29