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Listing deactivationPI-11 · Prohibited Items Policy

Depictions of the sexualization of minors are prohibited

What this rule means

Etsy prohibits depictions of the sexualisation of minors. Its Seller Policy bars uploading content that sexualises minors under the age of 18. It also bars using Messages, Favourites, or Collections to gather content with that intent. Etsy has a separate page on depicting minors. Read it before you photograph children's products.

What Etsy says

Depictions of the sexualization of minors are prohibited
Read Etsy's full Prohibited Items Policy

Why Etsy has this rule

Protecting children is a basic duty for any marketplace. Content that sexualizes or exploits minors does harm to real children and is illegal in many places. Etsy's policies prohibit depictions of the sexualisation of minors, and a separate Etsy page gives more detail on depicting minors.

The rule covers more than the clearest cases. How you photograph and present children's products matters as much as the product itself, even when you mean no harm.

Common mistakes

  • Using a photo of a child in underwear or swimwear as a listing image for clothing that could be shown on a hanger or flat.
  • Cropping a photo of a child so it focuses on a part of the body instead of the item.
  • Posing a child model in a way that reads as grown-up or suggestive.
  • Selling illustrated or digital art that shows minors in a sexual context, on the belief that drawings do not count.
  • Using stock or downloaded photos of children without checking what the pictures show.
  • Leaving old listing photos in place after a shop redesign, without reviewing them again.
  • Assuming a family photo is fine as a product photo because the child is your own.

Examples

  • AllowedYou show a child's outfit laid flat or on a hanger.
  • AllowedYou show a toy or book in a plain product photo with no child in the image.
  • AllowedYou show a fully dressed model in an age-appropriate pose, with the whole product in view.
  • AllowedYou review old listing photos and replace any that focus on a child instead of the product.
  • Not allowedYou use a photo of a minor in undergarments as the main listing image.
  • Not allowedYou use a photo of a minor cropped to focus on private areas.
  • Not allowedYou sell art or a download that depicts a minor in a sexual way.

How to stay compliant

  1. Immediately delist any item containing CSAM or sexually suggestive depictions of minors.
  2. Review all digital art, photography, and printed media listings for content that depicts minors in undergarments, age-inappropriate poses, or sexually suggestive contexts.
  3. If you believe Etsy removed a listing by mistake, open Policy violations in Shop Manager. Etsy lists Minor Safety among the policies where you may be able to appeal a removed listing, when an appeal is available.

Effort: low · 15-30 minutes

If your suspension email cites this rule

Read the email carefully and note the listings it names. Look at every photo and every file in those listings, and then look through the rest of your shop with the same standard. Think about what a stranger sees first in each image.

If any image or file fits what the rule prohibits, remove it right away. If your product is ordinary children's clothing, replace the photos with flat lays, hangers, or mannequins. Etsy's Help Center lists Minor Safety among the policies where you may be able to appeal a removed listing from the Policy violations page in Shop Manager. If an appeal is available, you see View & appeal. Follow the email's instructions closely. Be honest in whatever you send, and do not expect a particular outcome. Etsy makes the final decision.

Suspended over this rule?

Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.

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Common questions

Can I show a child modeling my clothes?

Etsy's page on depicting minors sets the detailed rules, so read it first. Many sellers choose flat lays, hangers, or mannequins, which avoids the question.

Does the rule apply to drawings and digital art?

Etsy prohibits depictions of the sexualisation of minors, and its page does not limit that to one medium. Photos, drawings, and digital art are all covered.

My listing photo shows my own child. Is that okay?

Who the child is does not change the test. Etsy prohibits depictions of the sexualisation of minors, and its page on depicting minors gives more detail. Use a different photo if there is any doubt.

What should I do if I think Etsy made a mistake?

Check the listing again with care. Etsy's Help Center lists Minor Safety among the policies where a removed listing may be appealed, from the Policy violations page in Shop Manager. Follow any instructions in the email.

Will replacing the photo fix the problem?

It removes the content that was flagged, but it does not guarantee any decision by Etsy. Review your other listings too, so the same issue is not left in place.

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