PayPal blocks George Christensen from its platform

Controversial former Dawson MP George Christensen is trying to set up his next venture but he will have to figure out a new way to finance it after the online payments giant booted him off its platform.

George Christensen’s dream of a new ‘pro-freedom’ media empire has hit an early snag with global payments behemoth PayPal blocking him from its platform, citing violations to the company’s Acceptable Use Policy.

The right-wing firebrand had put the call out for $20,000 in seed funding for his planned conservative website, EurekaFreePress.com, but PayPal’s move shut down the raise.

“After a review of your account activity, we’ve determined that you’re in violation of PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy,” the company stated.

“As a result, your account has been permanently limited and you won’t be able to conduct any further business using PayPal.”

Mr Christensen has decried the move as politically-driven censorship in his Nation First Substack newsletter and when contacted for the story, highlighted two posts from July 7 and July 8.

“PayPal is essentially an online bank,” he writes.

“Imagine if banks started announcing to customers that they were closing down or freezing their accounts because they didn’t like their political views?”

Former Dawson Nationals MP and One Nation Senate candidate George Christensen in Mackay on April 12, 2022. Photo: Daryl Wright

PayPal’s policy prohibits a range of activities on its platform, including the violation of any law, statute, ordinance or regulation and transactions involving narcotics, firearms or items that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity.

The promotion of hate, violence, racial or other forms of discriminatory intolerance or the financial exploitation of a crime is also prohibited.

Mr Christensen argues he has not contravened the policy but a PayPal spokesman said the company carefully assessed account activity against Acceptable Use and would take action on accounts if policy violations were found.

The new website is not yet up and running and Mr Christensen suggested a Minority Report-like agency within PayPal had moved to prejudge the contents of his venture, a reference to the Philip K. Dick novel in which a futuristic ‘pre-crime’ police force intercepts crime before it happens.

Mr Christensen generated controversy in his time in parliament as a maverick North Queenslander willing to buck his own party’s line.

His rhetoric has become increasingly radical in recent months.

Dawson Nationals MP George Christensen makes his valedictory speech in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, March 31, 2022. Picture: Mick Tsikas

He has questioned the safety of Covid vaccines, despite the medical consensus that the vaccines are safe and the benefits of vaccination outweigh potential risks.

A post from November 16, 2021 on Queensland’s health directives contains a photo of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk altered to make her look like a tyrant.

In a post from May 24, he raised the possibility of election fraud in the federal poll.

His personal website also boasts the support of Alex Jones, an American far-right conspiracy theorist.

Mr Christensen is not the only high-profile figure to be kicked off PayPal.

The company has also banned radical right-wing commentator Gavin McInnes and radical left-wing group Antifa.