4 news outlets that promoted witchcraft ahead of Jezebel's 'Etsy witch' Charlie Kirk hex backlash
2. The Wall Street Journal - July 15, 2025
One of America’s most well-respected media outlets, The Wall Street Journal, reported in July on what it coined the “online cottage industry” of “witchcraft and spellwork,” and pointed to a May post from TikTok influencer Jaz Smith as the source of a trend where social media audiences try to “find Etsy witches of their own.”
“Magic practitioners sell on Instagram, Shopify and TikTok, but most customers say Etsy is their go-to,” the report states, adding that some online witches charge as much as $250 per spell cast.
One customer told the outlet, “Smith was his inspiration” for spending over $8 on an Etsy witch to “cast a spell on the New York Knicks ahead of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals in May.” After the Knicks won that game, the customer bought a second Knicks “spell” for $21, which proved unfruitful when the Knicks lost.
