"Did you know that payment-processing platforms are now taking confession? Yes, you read that right. US crowdfunding platform Patreon, valued at $4 billion, now has a clause in its Community Guidelines on ‘renouncements’. The guidelines empower Patreon to cancel users’ accounts – and thus their income – for a multitude of heresies. But if users ‘renounce’ their heretical beliefs to the high priests of Patreon’s ‘Trust and Safety’ team, they may have their accounts and livelihoods restored. Patreon even generously promises to ‘educate’ creators who hold what it deems to be problematic views. Of course, we know exactly what kind of views that means. Back in 2018, Patreon notoriously cancelled several conservative commentators who had been critical of identity politics. Patreon’s renunciation policy is only one example of a frightening trend. Payment processors and crowdfunding platforms – as well as some high-street banks – are weaponising their power as providers of financial services to police the political views of their users."
