How to Change Your Etsy Privacy Settings
Just because you're on Etsy doesn't mean you want everyone knowing all your business. Fortunately, Etsy takes your privacy seriously. Like all reputable websites, Etsy maintains rigorous standards with respect to privacy. These standards relate to the following:
How Etsy collects and treats personal information
How Etsy handles service-related announcements and administrative messages
What types of tracking technology Etsy uses
How Etsy uses cookies
How Etsy ensures that transactions on the site are secure
To view Etsy's privacy policy, click the Help link that appears in the upper-right corner of every Etsy page; under Site Policy on the Help page, click the Privacy Policy link.
As you read Etsy's privacy policy, you may notice the TRUSTe seal prominently displayed at the top. TRUSTe is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the use of fair information practices. This seal indicates that Etsy complies with TRUSTe's privacy standards, meaning that you can click with confidence. Oh, and for those of you over the pond, Etsy also complies with the E.U. Safe Harbor framework. Set forth by the Department of Commerce, this framework outlines standards for collecting, using, and retaining data from the European Union.
If you're particularly concerned about maintaining your privacy, consider using a P.O. box as your address when conducting business on Etsy. That way, even if you buy or sell an item on the site, your home or work address remains unrevealed.
By default, anyone who visits your Etsy page can view your favorites. However, you may prefer to keep this information private. Maybe you use Etsy to buy gifts for others, and you don't want to tip them off about gift ideas that you've hearted if they visit your page. Whatever your reason, you can easily change your privacy settings to keep your favorites on the down low. You can also limit your "findability" by hiding your info from other Etsy members who use Etsy's Find Your Friends feature to find real-world friends on the site. Here's how to do so after you log in to your Etsy account:
Click the Your Account link along the top of any Etsy page.
Click the Settings link on the left side of the Your Account page.
Click the Privacy tab at the top of the page.
In the Favorites section of the Privacy tab, click the Only You (Private) option button to select it if you want to hide your Favorites.
In the Findability section, click the No option button to prevent other Etsy members from finding you when they use Etsy's Find Your Friends feature.
Click the Update Privacy Settings button.
