At Etsy, we are deeply committed to keeping our community safe, and protecting children is a core part of that. We don't allow content or behavior that sexually exploits or endangers minors anywhere on Etsy. We report all illegal content or activity to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We also regularly review our policies and watch for evolving industry best practices so we can continue strengthening our commitment to child safety.
This policy applies across all Etsy surfaces, including listing photos, Messages, review photos, digital download files, and shop banners. It also applies to all mediums, including hyper-realistic (e.g., anime and manga), illustrative (e.g., paintings and figurines), and photographic content (e.g., digitally created or AI-generated imagery). We take action on violations where the subject is either identified as a minor or appears to be a minor.
- Illegal content or activity
- Nudity, partial nudity, and revealing clothing
- Sexualization of minors
- Sexualized behavior
- Posing
- Normalization or promotion of child sexual exploitation
Illegal content or activity
We don't allow sexually explicit content or products featuring minors. We also don't allow abusive or exploitative interactions with minors. If we detect or are alerted to this content, we'll remove it and report all relevant information to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Nudity, partial nudity, and revealing clothing
We don't allow images of minors who are nude, partially nude, or in undergarments. This includes images where sheer or revealing clothing exposes private areas or undergarments. We also don't allow clothing that is pulled to the side or positioned in a way that intentionally accentuates a minor's private areas.
Sexualization of minors
We don't allow content associating minors with sexual or adult content, even if it's meant lightly or as a joke. This includes:
- Describing or pairing images of minors with sexual text
- Using a minor to model items with sexual messaging or adult innuendo
- Presenting mature items as suitable for minors, including by offering children's sizing
- Editing a minor's body in a way that sexualizes them
Sexualized behavior
We don't allow depictions of minors engaged in activities that could be considered sexually suggestive in nature, even if they are fully clothed. This includes depictions of minors simulating sexual acts, removing their clothing, or cupping their private areas.
Posing
We know most sellers are acting with good intentions and these rules are here to help. Posing is subjective: what seems innocent to one person may seem age-inappropriate to another, and others can misuse or misconstrue even well-intentioned images.
To lower that risk, we don't allow depictions of minors in certain clothing (like leotards, fishnet clothing, sheer clothing, bathing suits, or leggings) in the following poses or settings:
- Photos taken from certain suggestive angles or perspectives
- Photos staged in an intimate setting, such as a bathtub, shower, or on a bed
- Photos cropped closely on private areas
- Minor posed with their legs spread with knees positioned wider than shoulder width
- Minor posed with their chest, buttocks, or groin area pushed forward, by bending forward, backward, or otherwise contorting their body
We recommend neutral stances with the minor facing forward, arms and legs straight, and the camera zoomed out to capture the entire head and body.
Normalization or promotion of child sexual exploitation
We don't allow content that normalizes or promotes the sexual exploitation of minors, including celebrating the sexual exploitation of minors or those who commit sexual crimes against minors.
We monitor and remove any content we discover that violates our policies. If you notice a violation of any part of the policy above, please let us know by reporting it. Reporting helps us maintain a safe and welcoming marketplace for all members of our community.
Last updated on Aug 26, 2026