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T EEbay is not run by humans, and I am not saying that in jest. It is a corporate culture, a corporate think-speak. And it is not new. Example I sighted at top of thread, I had a whole bunch of vendor's pack Topps 1957 red back planes cards. All Near Mint or Mint. I listed a group of them individually. All different aircraft and manufacturers. You know Douglas, Boeing, etc. Well, one day, my auction for the Sikorsky Helicopter card vanishes, along with an email from ebay telling me I may be in copyright infringement.
Of course, that was and is absurd. The card clearly stated on the back that it was copyrighted by Topps, and since we know that Topps would not have contacted ebay on copyright infringement, that left Sikorsky as the only suspect. Some dweeb at Sikorsky, using the new-fangled Google (this was several years ago) came across my use of the Sikorsky name and image and decided that that was CI, despite the fact that Topps owned the copyright on the card.
But there was no avenue for me to appeal. I sent emails, etc, but the people answering them are programed on how they can respond.
So what was I to do? I've got a $5 card, a major corporation's lawyer telling me I am in copyright infringement, and a MEGA corp, upon whom my livelyhood depends, telling me to cease and desist.
There are many more examples, even sillier than the above, which I could sight. It is nothing new. This has been going on for years, since at least 2001 when I became involved with ebay. You only notice it when it affects you. But it has been there all along.
I long ago gave up fighting it. If ebay says I have to authenticate my Cobb red background t206 in order to sell it, so be it.
Tom,
EastHamptonAuctios