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Shopify refused to comment on its stance regarding Milo, guns, drugs or escort services. The company referred to a statement released by its chief executive officer, Tobi Lütke, last month.

“People sell millions of products a day. Almost all of those are uncontroversial. We love the electric skateboards, the animal-friendly outerwear, and the pottery. But some are unsavory and controversial, and that’s where we’re put to the test. On a regular basis, we face pressure from groups who disagree with some of these merchants or products and want us to censor them. This has been a constant for as long as we’ve been around,” he wrote in a posting called In Support of Free Speech on his personal blog.

“To kick off a merchant is to censor ideas and interfere with the free exchange of products at the core of commerce. When we kick off a merchant, we’re asserting our own moral code as the superior one. But who gets to define that moral code? Where would it begin and end? Who gets to decide what can be sold and what can’t? If we start blocking out voices, we would fall short of our goals as a company to make commerce better for everyone. Instead, we would have a biased and diminished platform. Products are a form of speech, and free speech must be fiercely protected, even if we disagree with some of the voices.”

The question of whether Shopify should adopt a policy limiting the types of products it allows to be sold via its platform is one that has been debated by the company’s executives for a long time, according to several people working there. The company’s decision not to enact a policy prohibiting certain items, such as firearms or goods that promote “hate speech,” is one that has caused tension and division among the company’s workforce.