The digital platform utilized by Kanye West to sell controversial merchandise has been removed after a breach of platform regulations.
Shopify, the technology platform underpinning Kanye West’s Yeezy website, deactivated the site on Tuesday. This decision came after the site was found to be selling T-shirts featuring swastikas, leading to widespread outrage.
A Shopify spokesperson clarified to CNN that the merchant, Yeezy, did not adhere to authentic commercial practices, thereby violating the platform’s terms and conditions. Consequently, the site was removed, and as of Tuesday morning, it no longer loads.
The issue attracted attention when Kanye West aired a local TV advertisement during the Super Bowl, encouraging viewers to visit his website. This commercial, reportedly filmed at a dentist’s office using an iPhone, was not broadcast nationally but was seen by audiences in specific areas.
The presence of the antisemitic merchandise incited public outrage, especially from social media users and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The ADL condemned the use of the swastika, highlighting its horrific historical associations with Nazism and its ongoing impact as a symbol of hate and fear.
In the days leading to the site’s deactivation, West engaged in a series of offensive communications through his social media account. These posts contained antisemitic, homophobic, and misogynistic messages, prompting celebrities and anti-hate groups to call for action from the platform, now known as X, where the posts were made.
While some of West’s posts were flagged for violating rules against hateful conduct, limiting their visibility, his continued provocations led to the deactivation of his account. West himself announced this decision, expressing gratitude for the freedom he had to express his thoughts, albeit controversially, on the platform.
The removal of Kanye West’s website by Shopify underscores the serious consequences of violating platform standards and spreading hate online.
