Amazon is once again at the center of criticism over what politically tinged products violate their terms of service, with several "F*** Joe and the Hoe" products depicted by firearms sparking the latest debate of what's offensive and what embodies freedom of speech.
The world's largest online retailer recently deleted several product pages that featured the offensive phrase targeting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
WARNING: The graphic below contains messages that may be offensive.
This is not ok @amazon. pic.twitter.com/28UdVsHxOE
— Travis Akers (@travisakers) June 13, 2021
High-profile military veteran and anti-Trump critic Travis Akers tweeted Sunday, "this is not ok @Amazon," before highlighting that several vendors were selling the gun-embroidered products featuring the "Joe and the Hoe" phrase.
Two of the listed vendors that have had products pulled included "Night Butterfly" and "Punkray."
A partisan tit-for-tat ensued on social media Sunday that showed vulgar "Thin Blue Line" products being responded to with correspondingly profane "Black Lives Matter" products for sale.
Provocative pundits and ardent defenders of a free marketplace pointed out that both former President Donald Trump and Biden are ridiculed by similar respective products across Amazon. But the company has only taken down products that spelled out the vulgar anti-"Joe" phrase using images of pistols and automatic weapons.
Last year, Amazon stirred controversy for carrying the "Joe and the Hoe 2020" phrase on products that the company quickly removed.
Amazon's broad terms of service and online retailer rules give the company "the right to determine the appropriateness of listings on its site, and remove any listing at any time." Amazon's official vendor rules include a ban on "products related to human tragedies."
There are innumerable flags, posters and embroidered signs that say "F*** Trump" and "F*** Biden," respectively, but the recent debate focused on the use of the gun images composing the slogan itself.
Amazon, a company long embroiled in debates over what products are offensive or potentially incite violence, pulled the Confederate flag in 2015 after the Charleston, South Carolina, shooting at a Black church that left nine African-American members dead.
The online retailing giant has strict bans on the sale of firearm ammunition and any and all components of guns across the United States.
"Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views. We'll also remove listings that graphically portray violence or victims of violence," read the company's U.S. rules. "Listings for items that Amazon deems offensive are prohibited on Amazon.com."
Newsweek reached out to Amazon as well as several vendors selling the products for additional remarks Sunday afternoon.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Benjamin Fearnow is a reporter based out of Newsweek's New York City offices. He was previously at CBS and Mediaite ... Read more
