In short:
Online marketplace Etsy, known for handmade products, updates its policies to restrict AI use, following criticism from its community.
asserted
Etsy → know → community
Etsy users are cautious about the changes, with some saying AI-copying issues persist.
What's next?
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What → say → changes
Etsy says these changes are merely a "starting point" and will be periodically re-evaluated.
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changes → say → ?
Global online marketplace Etsy has updated its artificial intelligence policies following widespread criticism from users faced with AI-generated products.
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Etsy → update → products
Etsy recently sent an email to sellers, informing them of the changes, and published the new policy online.
"We recognise we haven't always addressed the topic of AI as directly or as quickly as you may have wanted," it said.
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it → send → AI
"AI is threatening [buyer] trust, and we have a responsibility to protect it.
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we → threaten → it
The statement provided a list of policy updates to set clearer restrictions on AI use.
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statement → provide → use
One requires sellers to include at least one unedited photo of their item against a real background, with exceptions for some products.
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One → require → products
"Some digital items, like audio files, don't have visual elements.
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items → have → elements
For those listings, you may use representative imagery, including AI-generated images, as long as it doesn't mislead buyers about what they're purchasing," it said.
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it → use → what
Photo-editing tools, such as exposure, crop and background adjustments, including AI, are still allowed for other listing images "as long as those edits don't make the item appear different".
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item → edit → images
Etsy said that if the item received by buyers is "materially different" from the listing images, the seller may be responsible for a refund.
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seller → say → refund
Another update banned AI-generated functional guides like recipes and crochet patterns.
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update → ban → recipes
Listings for these items that aren't AI-generated must also provide an image of a real result.
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that → generate → result
New features are also being introduced, such as a specific "misleading AI-generated images" reporting option and guidance for listing photos.
However, at this stage, the reports are only to help Etsy "better understand how members perceive potential AI misuse and won't result in immediate enforcement action".
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members → introduce → action
It's unclear if the guidance for listing photos has been implemented.
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guidance → list → photos
AI-generated art, like prints, are still permitted "when sellers play a clear creative role in what they create and are transparent about their process".
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they → generate → process
'Bit of a laugh', seller says
Earlier this month the ABC spoke with Lucy Cooper, a Hobart-based crochet artist known for her 90s-surf-wear-inspired spiral beanie design.
Ms Cooper said she had discovered an Etsy store selling an AI-generated version of her crochet beanie pattern, with AI-generated images.
Etsy's new AI policy changes suggest it will prevent experiences like hers from occurring.
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it → say → hers
However, it has since happened again.
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it → happen → ?
Ms Cooper found another Etsy store selling an AI-generated version of her beanie pattern, and all eight product images were generated by AI.
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images → find → AI
The listing was published on October 28, six days after Etsy announced its policy update.
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Etsy → publish → update
"It's good that they're actually doing something, but I think that it's a little bit of a laugh," Ms Cooper said.
"
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Cooper → do → laugh
They're addressing the problem, but they're not actually really doing anything about it."
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they → address → it
Ms Cooper said she felt the changes relied too heavily on sellers doing the right thing.
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sellers → say → thing
"The problem is people aren't being honest," she said.
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she → say → ?
"If you're the platform owner, you have to do something to make it so that this can't happen."
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this → have → something
Etsy's community has mixed feelings
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community → have → feelings
Following Etsy's announcement, users across the globe took to social media to voice their opinions on the changes.
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users → follow → changes
In an Instagram post, Jade, a seamstress, said, "It seemed like [Etsy] didn't want to demonise AI usage, but I think that's going to alienate a large part of their database — buyers and sellers alike — who are truly anti-AI."
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who → say → database
In the comments, one user said: "They are trying to serve a larger group of people and shops.
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They → say → people
Banning AI entirely would mean a lot of shops would close.
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lot → ban → shops
I create physical and digital crafts.
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I → create → crafts
There is a place for AI, and banning it would really make some parts of the design process unnecessarily slow.
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parts → be → process
Just because so many create AI slop does not mean the entire use of AI should be banned.
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use → create → AI
It just needs more guidance."
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It → need → guidance
In another post, Molly, a crochet artist, asked, "is Etsy going to take a proactive approach to finding [AI-generated pattern listings]?
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Etsy → ask → listings
I think that these are positive changes …
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these → think → ?
I'll believe it when I see it."
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I → believe → it
Some are frustrated by Etsy's decision to not immediately remove listings that are reported for AI misuse.
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that → frustrate → misuse
"I think [the new reporting feature is] really good.
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feature → think → ?
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia