The creators of the Tulipshare mobile application called on PayPal to more transparent account blocking and provide non-discriminatory financial services to all users.

PayPal practices blocking user accounts without explanation. Source: Pixabay.com

The Tulipshare initiative was announced after campaigns by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a petition on Change.org with a call for PayPal to stop the biased practice of blocking accounts.

PayPal’s current Acceptable Use Policy details an incomplete list of actions that require prior approval. At the same time, this list of norms does not provide for the possibility to appeal the account blocking or deactivation of the user’s page.

Tulipshare believes that the current policy harms some groups of citizens, including, for example, sex workers.

Previously, PayPal was accused of restricting users’ rights for statements protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. This amendment guarantees freedom of speech, press, and religion.

PayPal has blocked the News Media Canada account for paying for the publication of an article about Syrian refugees. The suspension of the accounts of democratic activists in Hong Kong was also recorded. The one of clients’ personal pages was blocked for using open-source software that allows people to communicate anonymously.

Tulipshare calls on PayPal to publish more detailed reasons for blocking user accounts. The developers of the mobile application insist that the practice of restrictions violates the principles of freedom of expression and tramples on the rights to access information and financial services.

In a practical sense, a call to PayPal means that the company, blocking the account of an individual or a firm, must provide a notification that contains the justification for this decision. Also, users should be able to appeal the blocking as soon as possible.

Tulipshare is a PayPal shareholder. This mobile application provides users with the opportunity to make adjustments to the ethical codes of public companies.

Antoine Argouge, executive director and founder of Tulipshare, says that PayPal’s biased policy of blocking user accounts is not only an example of discrimination but also harms the company itself. He notes that due to these actions, the opportunity to provide services to some customers is lost, which entails a potential risk of losing market share and falling revenues.

Antoine Argouge hopes that other shareholders and investors who support the call to end the discriminatory policy will support the initiative of the mobile application.

As we have reported earlier, Singapore Consumers Want to Control Their Data.