Shopify Revives a ‘Hateful Content’ Ban Amid Racist Merch Sales

Shopify Inc. tightened rules against “hateful content” as users sell racist merchandise using its popular e-commerce platform, roughly a year after removing a similar ban.

A company help page describing prohibited product types on its app and payment system Shop was updated since May to add a ban on “products promoting hateful content, violence, gore, profanity or offensive content,” based on archived versions of the website reviewed by Bloomberg News.

It’s a policy reversal for Canada’s most valuable technology company. Last July, Shopify removed a ban on hateful content from its acceptable use policy. That hasn’t been reinstated, but new ...