Auschwitz Memorial blasts print-on-demand service for selling death-camp-themed skirts, pillows
The Auschwitz Memorial has attacked print-on-demand online marketplace Redbubble for offering miniskirts and throw pillows printed with images of the concentration camp, sparking a wildfire of outrage.
© Redbubble.com
Calling the screen-printed clothing and accessories "disturbing and disrespectful," the Auschwitz Twitter account posted several images of products offered on Redbubble's site, including a skirt depicting one of the camp's crematoria, a pillow printed with the train tracks leading to the camp, and a tote bag featuring a "danger high voltage" sign, demanding to know whether these were "acceptable."
https://twitter.com/AuschwitzMuseum/status/1125814359391920129
https://twitter.com/RedbubbleHelp/status/1125823590228586497
Redbubble replied almost immediately, agreeing that the items were neither "acceptable" nor in keeping with its community guidelines, and removed them – but not before facing a torrent of outrage.
https://twitter.com/rmcg2799/status/1125881029003235329
https://twitter.com/MaddyABoulton/status/1125823103509069825
Trying to be heard above the critics, Redbubble explained that as a third-party marketplace connecting a huge number of buyers and sellers, who upload their own images and choose what products it is sold on, the site couldn't police every design, and that users were responsible for reporting offensive material.
https://twitter.com/RedbubbleHelp/status/1125825076203380737
The explanation of the print-on-demand model appeared lost on a lot of people, however, with many apparently assuming Redbubble had either designed the products itself or made the decision to print the images on clothing.
https://twitter.com/Spooleypoole/status/1125875999072247809
https://twitter.com/CurlyClareToo/status/1125875126942220290
It's unclear whether the products actually violate any established Redbubble policies, or why other products featuring Auschwitz images – including postcards and prints – are permitted. The policy includes one line about "works dealing with catastrophic events such as genocides or holocausts," merely mandating that they be "sensitively handled." In those same community guidelines, Redbubble actually asks that users "do not seek or engage with content you don't agree with (no need for troublemaking)," but it was probably wise not to point that out to the Auschwitz Memorial.
A few lonely voices pointed out that Redbubble couldn't be blamed for what people uploaded to its site.
https://twitter.com/Human47118627/status/1125926616687960066
https://twitter.com/Noah_x3/status/1125886104459198465
Original: https://www.rt.com/news/458693-auschwitz-attacks-site-offensive-pillows/
So it's offensive that someone designed a product reminding people of an atrocity? What if it had been on a jacket? What are the rules on what types of clothing it is acceptable to put messages like this on? Or do they not want anything mentioning the holocaust at all? Who exactly is put in charge of deciding what is and is not acceptable, and what to censor? Probably someone from a country with cheap labor tbh, who will likely not be very well trained, and will still make mistakes.
They run a print on demand service. I'm not certain that the majority of people would know whether or not this was offensive...or even that all jewish people might agree on whether or not it was. Perhaps someone might buy this as a way to fight back against this neo-nazi wave we've had recently.
The outrage machine continues to churn on Twitter. That's one of those things that's never gonna end...