NFT marketplace OpenSea lands in controversy after selling artworks depicting Hitler

OpenSea, the marketplace for non-fungible tokens(NFTs), has been allowing the sale of artworks depicting Hitler. There are a number of Adolf Hitler-themed NFTs that are available among OpenSea offerings, reported Vice. Reportedly, one Ethereum Name Service(ENS) domain on OpenSea is called "hitlerdidnothingwrong.eth,", "hitler.eth," and another shows Hitler's name along with swastikas.

NFT marketplace sells artworks showing Hitler

As per a report by Vice, the site’s terms of service mention that it will host "controversial" content, however, it added that "inappropriate" content may be withdrawn. As per the VICE report, several Hitler-themed NFTs are for sale on the OpenSea marketplace. The collection available on the OpenSea in their bio has described Hitler as "the main antihero of the humanity of all times".

Similarly, a verified Ethereum Name Service (ENS) collection, features Hitler-themed NFTs. One ENS domain on OpenSea is called "hitlerdidnothingwrong.eth,", "hitler.eth," and another shows his name along with swastikas, reported Vice. As per the Vice report, there are portraits for 'Hitler for sale, Hitler pepes, entire Nazi-themed NFT collections', listed on the OpenSea marketplace. Reportedly, the artworks also include titles like 'HeilHitler'.

One of the collections has been reportedly shared by a Twitter user who goes by the @sh_wnee. The user in the tweet has shared four images of the cartoon portraits of Hitler and mentioned that they are "popular nfts on opensea". In the tweet, the user said, "all the most popular nfts on opensea are different hitler avatars."

OpenSea, the startup which is reportedly worth $1.5 billion, is the world's largest trader of NFTs, reported The Times of Israel. The digital artworks on OpenSea can be purchased with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum. Some of the items on the marketplace have been sold for millions of dollars. The purchased item on the marketplace is saved on the blockchain which is a permanent digital record that keeps the record of every transaction and publishes the transaction, reported The Times of Israel. . However, it is not the first time that e-commerce companies have hosted Nazi-themed items. Previously, e-commerce companies like Amazon, eBay also sold Nazi-related products on their sites. 

Image: AP