A shopper expressed outrage towards the resale platform Vinted for refusing to remove a profile containing a discriminatory remark stating “no Jews.” Justine, a 55-year-old individual from Portsmouth, encountered an anti-Semitic comment on the app, posted by a seller with the username stefsbitsforsale. The offensive language was found in the product descriptions of items for sale, including a knitted pouffe footstool and a stamp set.
Despite Justine reporting the offensive content to Vinted, the platform responded that it did not breach their community standards and suggested blocking the account instead. Justine was taken aback by the lack of action taken by Vinted, expecting a more severe response to such hateful language.
Vinted’s community guidelines explicitly prohibit discrimination and hate speech based on various factors. In response to the incident, Vinted stated that they have removed the listings and blocked the member responsible for the offensive content.
Justine expressed disappointment in Vinted’s initial response, highlighting the disturbing nature of the incident and questioning the seller’s behavior on other platforms. The account in question was eventually blocked after The Mirror intervened. Justine also raised concerns about other users potentially being exposed to the offensive remarks due to the likes on the listings.
Notably, the seller maintained anonymity on their profile, leading Justine to criticize the individual for spreading hate speech while hiding behind a faceless identity.