Thread by @atRachelGilmore

🚨🚨🚨This is a big deal!!!

I’ve independently verified that this user is a former Shopify employee.

They’re violating their contract and becoming a whistleblower, alleging some of the top ranks of Shopify may be making some worrying ideological decisions.

A little while back, I interviewed Shopify employees (with promised anonymity - they feared losing their jobs).

They expressed concerns about Shopify’s decision to work with LibsofTikTok

There was an internal outcry that appeared to fall on deaf ears.
globalnews.ca/news/9294721/s…

As part of that investigation, I was sent a copy of a memo Shopify circulated to employees after it was revealed that they were providing services to Brietbart.

That memo was titled: “Why it might be hard for you to work for Shopify.”

It details a “tension” Shopify employees have to “hold” between “opposing ideas that may need to co-exist.”

Shopify makes a “deliberate tradeoff” to “enable more opportunity,” particularly for those “whoʼve historically been shut out or shut down by prevailing economic systems.”

Disagree?

You can talk to your boss about whether you can “continue to feel engaged” at Shopify.

To me, that reads like you can leave the job.

But what is that tradeoff?

Shopify says makes sure merchants 1) adhere to the law and 2) don’t violate the Acceptable Use Policy.

But when you look at who Shopify provides services to, it's unclear how they interpret that AUP.

I looked into the source code of a number of websites – including some first flagged by @nandoodles – and found that Shopify provides merchant services to some very sketchy stores.

Like stores selling Nazi merchandise (see below)

It also works withwebsites like the Daily Wire, which sells transphobic products.

For example, the Daily Wire sells a chocolate bar that’s a direct backlash to the inclusion of a trans woman in a Hershey’s campaign.

This might be a good time to point who is in the upper ranks at Shopify.

Shopify’s COO is Kaz Nejatian, a fired staffer of Jason Kenney’s who is married to Candice Malcolm – top dog at True North.

Here’s an example of True North’s content, and Kaz saying he likes their work:

All in all, it appears that Shopify is helping some far-right folks to monetize and profit from transphobic products -- despite internal protests.

Now there's a whistleblower.

I think this is a story to watch.