Amazon’s Wish List Privacy Overhaul Sparks Creator Concerns Ahead of March 25 Deadline

In a significant policy shift that’s sending ripples through the creator economy, Amazon has announced it will eliminate the ability for Wish List owners to restrict purchases from third-party sellers starting March 25, 2025. The change means that when someone purchases an item from your public Wish List, your shipping address will be shared with the third-party seller for order fulfillment—a practice that’s raising serious privacy concerns among content creators who rely on these lists for fan interactions.

The announcement, which has been circulating widely on social media platforms, reveals that Amazon will no longer provide the option to limit gift purchases exclusively to items sold directly by Amazon. Instead, the retail giant states that “when gifts are purchased from your shared or public lists, Amazon needs to provide your shipping address to sellers and delivery partners to fulfill these orders.”

The Privacy Implications: What’s Actually Changing?

While Amazon has long shared shipping information with sellers for order fulfillment, the critical difference now is the removal of consumer choice. Previously, Wish List owners could opt to only allow purchases from Amazon’s direct inventory, keeping their address information contained within Amazon’s ecosystem. That safety valve disappears in less than two weeks.

During the delivery process, Amazon acknowledges that “your address may become visible to gift purchasers through delivery updates and tracking information.” This transparency extends beyond the seller—gift buyers might see the recipient’s address when tracking packages or receiving delivery notifications.

Creator Community Reacts: From Twitch Streamers to Adult Content Creators

The policy change has particularly alarmed creators who use Amazon Wish Lists as a revenue stream. Twitch streamers, YouTubers, and adult content creators who’ve built businesses around fan gifting are now scrambling to reassess their strategies.

One creator on X (formerly Twitter) posted a screenshot of the Amazon email, highlighting the stark reality: “This means anyone can buy from your list and get your address.” The post quickly gained traction within creator communities, sparking discussions about digital safety and privacy boundaries.

Sex workers and adult content creators, who often maintain semi-anonymous online presences while using Wish Lists to receive gifts from subscribers, face particularly acute risks. The potential for “doxxing”—the malicious practice of revealing someone’s private information online—has creators actively seeking alternatives.

Amazon’s Recommended Precautions: Limited Options

In response to the backlash, Amazon has outlined several mitigation strategies, though critics argue they’re insufficient:

PO Box Workaround: Amazon suggests using a P.O. Box or non-residential address for public lists. While this prevents home addresses from being exposed, it requires ongoing costs and may not be practical for all creators.

Privacy Settings Adjustment: Users can switch their lists from “Public” to “Private” or “Shared” (which allows you to specify exactly who can view the list). However, this fundamentally changes how creators can monetize their audience relationships.

Address Removal Option: The most extreme measure involves removing any shipping address entirely by selecting “None” in the address field. This would theoretically require gift buyers to contact the Wish List owner directly for shipping information—essentially defeating the purpose of an automated gifting system.

The Throne Alternative: A New Player Emerges

The controversy has propelled Throne, a wishlist platform specifically designed for creators, into the spotlight. Throne’s homepage prominently features the promise that “All the creator and fan information stays private and is not shared between parties”—a direct contrast to Amazon’s new approach.

The platform appears to be positioning itself as the privacy-conscious alternative, though it remains to be seen whether it can handle the volume and trust that Amazon’s established ecosystem provides. For many creators, the switch involves not just technical migration but rebuilding audience habits and trust.

Broader Implications for E-commerce Privacy

This policy change reflects a broader tension in e-commerce between operational efficiency and consumer privacy. Amazon’s justification—that sellers need shipping information to fulfill orders—is technically sound, but the elimination of consumer choice represents a significant privacy regression.

The timing is particularly notable as it comes amid increasing scrutiny of tech companies’ data practices and growing consumer awareness about digital privacy. Amazon’s decision to remove this option rather than make it the default setting suggests a prioritization of seller convenience over user privacy preferences.

What Creators Should Do Now

With the March 25 deadline approaching, creators using Amazon Wish Lists should:

1. Immediately review their list privacy settings
2. Consider removing home addresses and using alternatives
3. Evaluate whether to migrate to creator-specific platforms like Throne
4. Communicate any changes clearly to their audience
5. Consider the long-term sustainability of relying on any single platform for income

The controversy underscores a fundamental challenge for digital creators: building sustainable income streams while maintaining personal privacy boundaries. As platforms evolve their policies, creators must remain vigilant about how their personal information is handled and be prepared to adapt quickly to protect their safety and livelihoods.

For Amazon, this policy shift may represent short-term operational simplification at the potential cost of long-term creator relationships—a trade-off that will become clearer as March 25 approaches and creators decide whether to accept the new terms or seek alternatives.

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