Rome, 28.09.22

Dear Patrick Collison,

We are writing to you from Still I Rise, an international nonprofit organization that provides high-quality education to vulnerable children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

We want to bring to your attention an unfortunate matter concerning your company, taking the opportunity of your participation as guest of honor at Italian Tech Week.

Since 2020 we have relied on Stripe to process donations through cards.

Following a customer service request for more information about our activities in northwestern Syria, where we run a center for children displaced by Assad and Russian bombs, we sent all the requested documentation.

Stripe did not respond to us again and shortly thereafter decided to block our account and unilaterally terminate the contract, without providing clear explanations of the reasons, nor the opportunity to have a direct and comprehensive discussion to understand the issue and possibly resolve it.

As a result, to date, this choice - incomprehensible to us - has meant the loss of more than 120,000 euros in recurring donations, not counting one-time donations. Your company’s decision risks jeopardizing our humanitarian activities in education for children, especially in an area already exhausted by a conflict that has been going on for 11 years now.

To date, it has not been possible for us to communicate directly with a representative of Stripe to take responsibility for following up on our request, and it is therefore impossible to understand the real reasons for this choice.

Mr. Collison, what are the criteria by which an account is suspended? Is there a human review of these decisions or are they merely algorithm-based?

If the closure of our account is due to our operations in Syria, has a member of your staff verified that our activity is not related to any of the persons or entities sanctioned by UNSCR 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011), and 2253 (2015)?

Is Stripe aware that under U.S. law, SYRIA GENERAL LICENSE NO. 11A (OFAC) authorizes U.S. entities to process transfers of funds to Syria to support various humanitarian activities, including support for education?

In a society where technology is advancing at a faster rate than the ability of governments and institutions to regulate its use, how much longer will individuals and organizations have to submit to unilateral terms, constantly risking having their accounts suspended without knowing the reasons and without being able to appeal?

We know we are not the only ones and that several individuals, companies and organizations have been shocked to find that their account has been blocked or suspended.  

Is it right that the discretionary choice of a private company's algorithms has such a major and real impact on people's lives?

We look forward to hearing back from you and we hope that our disastrous experience with your company may become useful food for thought in reconsidering Stripe’s structure and your relationship with your customers.

Best,

Still I Rise