"Popular on Etsy- Submissive Kit"

[pachyderm]

So I click on Etsy looking for some last minute Christmas gifts and when I'm about to type "Homemade jewellery" into the search bar, a "Popular Searches" list appears and the first one is "Submissive Kit"

www.etsy.com/ie/search?q=submissive kit&ref=trnd1

Pages of bondage gear, gimp masks, wtf? Is this more depressing internalised porn culture and "Submissive Kit" actually is the most popular search on Etsy, or is something creepy going on with their algorithms? Because I'd hate to think of someone like my young daughter stumbling on this if she wanted to search for an embroidery kit. It's horrible.

Did you click on it? Etsys algorithm will have that sort of thing following you around the site forever. They do not allow you to hide what they describe as "mature" listings. I would be wary of letting children use the site for this reason.

Unfortunately, yes! But in my 12 years registered there I've never searched for anything but vintage clothes, jewellery and household items. Definitely no gimp masks

I've never used Etsy at all so I tried it - top item was a Nutella spoon, the rest were bland gifts, eco this and that. Who knows why it's done that to you - try clearing your cookies etc!

Etsy used to allow mature listings to be hidden. Wonder what changed?

If you fancy an alternative UK based and UK artist only site, look at Folksy. Far superior for real, hand crafted items IMHO.

I think it's your computer's cookies not Etsy. This is what I got.

I got the same as @PhilbricksCat

I also got some BDSM related things when I tried this. Only ever used Etsy for nice jewelry etc. I'm sick of this mainstreaming of kink.

Ugh. BDSM on Etsy too? It should be child-safe. Horrible. And Ebay gets worse and worse.

It could be one person's searches that are skewing the trends but that kind of stuff just should not be on there. A lot of adults don't want to see it never mind the harm of kids being exposed to it.

Re my cookies, it was on my phone and I don't look at porn on it!

It obviously has something to do with your settings/ past browsing history/ algorithms. I only use a phone and got the completely innocuous list.

I used my phone's native browser, Chrome and Puffin browsers. None of them came up with anything remotely resembling these offensive items.

Is there a view or hide adult items setting on Etsy? I can't find it.

Don't know. I didn't need to use one.

I got goth lingerie and eat the rich

www.stratco.com.au/products/fencing/#slat

So the wrong thing, trying again

I just logged out and cleaned my browser, and still got "cage harness" as a suggested search. Which means anyone could get BDSM-related suggestions.

Thanks The ChampagneGalop, some people are really invested in not believing me

I believe you got this but it's still down to an algorithm/ hidden cookie/ cache on your piece of kit otherwise every one would get the same result.

Maybe it depends on what other people are looking for at that moment. I just got anti tory, eat the rich and eco friendly something or other.

I roll my eyes when I see this, my husband left me for this lifestyle after 20 years of marriage and now swans about London in all the gear the middle aged twat.
I find the whole thing so utterly boring. he wanted me to be his sub, I am the least submissive person you ever met I told him I'd end him if he tried to dominate me so off he went.

Yep, that's definitely what you'd want to give all your friends and family for Christmas. If people could just stop pushing their kinks on others that would be lovely.

I think it is depends if you have used Etsy before - and what you have looked for. Etsy forums have posts from people who have searched for bras, or earrings, or cosmetics - and then ended up with BDSM stuff recommended. I think their algorithm tends towards the pornified.

I was searching for pull up nappies for my 10 year old DS , who is over 5ft and severely disabled.
Amazon gave me a selection of adult baby gear ( including plastic covered pants ) butt plugs , dildos , nipple clamps etc
Honestly couldn't believe my eyes.
I'm not a prude by any means but when I'm looking for nappies for an older disabled child I don't want to see pictures of hairy men in fetish clothing !

I am the least submissive person you ever met I told him I'd end him if he tried to dominate me so off he went

Sorry to make light of your break up, but the way you worded that is bloody hilarious.

I agree that this isn't the kind of result you'd want a child to come across but to be fair, I don't see how it's other people pushing their kinks on others either Prodigal. Surely the top searches are determined by what is being searched for and/or cookies and algorithms?