The “Oopsie! We Didn’t Mean It” Edition

     The PayPal version of a Kinsley gaffe, about which I posted Friday, has angered users widely. Apparently, the backlash has been voluminous – too great for PayPal’s managers to withstand and keep their annual bonuses. So they’re trying to walk it back:

     A red-faced PayPal walked back a shocking new policy announcement that users who advance “misinformation” could face fines of $2,500 per offense, saying it was all a mistake after The Daily Wire called attention to the chilling scheme.

     The financial services company, which has repeatedly deplatformed organizations and individual commentators for their political views, announced Saturday, one day after The Daily Wire story broke, that the announcement went out in error.

     “An [Accepted Use Policy] notice recently went out in error that included incorrect information,” a PayPal spokesperson said. “PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy. We’re sorry for the confusion this has caused.”

     It won’t work. Pretending that the proposed $2500 “fines” are what departing users are cheesed off about and beating a hasty retreat from the proposition won’t save PayPal. Too much “woke” bullshit has already gone down.

     The proposed “fines” were laughable for several reasons, not the least of which is that the great majority of PayPal users literally never have $2500 in their accounts at any time. But for my part, I kicked them to the curb for the clause that says “in PayPal’s sole discretion.” History on that subject makes it plain that their “discretion” cannot be trusted, especially in combination with these clauses:

  • “the promotion of hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory”
  • “depict, promote, or incite hatred or discrimination of protected groups or of individuals or groups based on protected characteristics (e.g. race, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.)”
  • “are fraudulent, promote misinformation, or are unlawful.“

     That stinks of “woke,” and I will have no part of it. I’m sure many other former PayPal users feel the same.

     The penetration of “woke” bullshit into a great many private-sector firms that should know better is having steadily intensifying effects. People have already lost jobs at companies that one would think have no coupling to any particular political posture. People have already been refused various services for “woke” reasons. And of course we have the closure of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other Big Tech fora to anyone who dares to emit an anti-“woke” opinion.

     “Money talks; bullshit walks,” as the old saying goes. The promulgators and enforcers of “Woke” – the whole censorious constellation of hard-Left / “politically correct” bullshit – are learning, albeit tardily, that the old saying retains its force. PayPal will suffer. It will be left with a shrunken user base that does less transacting per capita than the users it alienated. And in keeping with another old saying — “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” — there will be no redemption.

5 comments

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    • Dan on October 9, 2022 at 6:40 AM

    Why anyone would willingly sign up for PayPoop for any reason is a mystery.  They have LONG been anti freedom pro commie.

    • Max M Wiley on October 9, 2022 at 8:55 AM

    For the past decade, I have perhaps used my PayPal account once per year, on average. I was also using it for a few subscriptions. It took very little time at all to cancel it and make other arrangements.
    Listening to them try to walk it back gives me tremendous satisfaction.

  1. The line I liked best in rebuttal to PayPal’s explanation:

    No one accidentally publishes a policy where they steal $2,500 every time they say you spread misinformation or hurt the feelings of the pronoun brigade. They plan to do this when they know they can get away with it.

    And Paypal is far from alone in testing what they can get away with.

    The global fascist avante-garde are following Lenin’s orders:

    “You probe with bayonets: if you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw”

    In the days ahead you will have ample reason to find and present your steel.

    • Ken Lane on October 9, 2022 at 6:20 PM

    My chief gripe was the fact that they thought they could tell me what I could put on my site and try to fine me for what they thought was unacceptable. I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion any more?

    Also, my paypal account was linked to my bank, something I did to make it easier to transfer funds back and forth. Would they be able to get into my checking account to recover that $2500 fine?

  2. I never saw the need for PayPal except some companies would only accept it as payment.
    I can do without.

    This reminds me of GoFundMe ripping off the truckers.

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