A coalition of human rights and civil liberties groups, led by the Freedom of the Press Foundation, criticizes Venmo's opaque enforcement procedures for account freezes and closures, arguing that they undermine First Amendment protections and democratic accountability.

An OpenSecrets report highlighted that PayPal, the owner of Venmo, spent over $800,000 on lobbying in the first half of 2024. This expenditure is seen as a means to influence policy outcomes that may favor authoritarian practices, raising concerns about corporate complicity in undermining democratic processes.

Amid rising fintech lobbying spending in 2024, PayPal, the owner of Venmo, spent over $800,000 on lobbying efforts during the first half of the year. This aggressive political spending raises concerns about corporate influence over policymaking, potentially supporting authoritarian practices.

A coalition including the Freedom of the Press Foundation and civil liberties groups has criticized Venmo’s enforcement policies which have led to arbitrary account freezes, potentially curtailing First Amendment-protected speech. The practice raises concerns about transparency and accountability in Venmo's handling of politically sensitive transactions.

The ACLU and allied civil rights groups have criticized Venmo for implementing policies that effectively shut out sex workers, thereby harming a vulnerable community. Critics argue that such exclusionary business practices contribute to systemic discrimination and undermine ethical responsibility.

Multiple rights organizations, including the EFF, have criticized Venmo (a subsidiary of PayPal) for its opaque account freeze and closure policies, which have been used in ways that appear to silence controversial and politically sensitive content. The lack of transparency and potential for discriminatory practices have raised concerns over the company's role in curtailing free expression and accountability.

A coalition of civil liberties organizations, including the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, urged PayPal and its subsidiary Venmo to reform opaque account freeze and closure policies that disproportionately harm marginalized communities and stifle free speech.

On July 21, 2020, CAIR-NY filed a complaint with the New York City Commission on Human Rights accusing Venmo of employing discriminatory practices that target transactions referencing Muslim, Arab, or South Asian identifiers. The complaint alleges that Venmo's algorithm improperly flags such transactions, resulting in embarrassing delays and unequal access to financial services for affected communities.