Amazon Fail

[Alisa Cooper]

http://i.gizmodo.com/5209954/amazon-unconvincingly-explains-its-bou...
http://mashable.com/2009/04/12/amazon-accused-of-removing-gay-books...

[Carole]

Do you think maybe the Gay, Lesbian, Sexually Explicit, etc. authors are milking the publicity for all it's worth to sell more of their books?

I think, the response from the Amazon representative, " In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude “adult” material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature, " (again, I think) would be true today and every day.

It does not appear Amazon changed anything but now it may have been "hackers" according to an article written by Amy Ward. http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/computer-securi.html

Honestly, I am still trying to sort it all out and really look forward to an updated statement from Amazon.

[Renee Stein]

I think Amazon does really fail. I do not think it was a glitch. How can a glitch take out all of one subject and not just random books? I understand that some people are uncomfortable with homosexuality, but that is no reason to hide all books about homosexuality. If it's okay for Amazon to censor and discriminate where is it gonna stop? I also want to add that lately there are other ways of being censor that has been happening. Some radio stations are editing or not even playing a Britney Spears song because the line "if you seek amy" sounds to much like f-u-c-k me.

[Hana Izuka]

Although I agree with both Carole and Renee on some parts, I do also believe that maybe it's just a business thing. With any company, the customer knows best. If the people holding stocks for Amazon don't want homosexual books being searched on the market, then most likely it will be taken off. I will no say that this is right, but that's how business has always worked.
It's like saying: no shirt, no shoes, no service. For the rest of the customers to feel comfortable, they want these demands met. Like I said, I'm not going to argue the ethics of it because I frankly don't use Amazon for anything besides buying and reselling textbooks. If that becomes as issue, then I might speak up, or switch sites.

[Carole]

Amazon did officially respond 2 days after the glitch with the following: "It has been misreported that the issue was limited to Gay & Lesbian themed titles — in fact, it impacted 57,310 books in a number of broad categories such as Health, Mind & Body, Reproductive & Sexual Medicine, and Erotica. This problem impacted books not just in the United States but globally. It affected not just sales rank but also had the effect of removing the books from Amazon’s main product search.

Many books have now been fixed and we’re in the process of fixing the remainder as quickly as possible, and we intend to implement new measures to make this kind of accident less likely to occur in the future."

I think it really was an honest mistake. In addition, it takes time to research the error and I totally understand why it took Amazon 2 days to respond.. the last thing you want to do is report on the issue with a reporting error. Amazon wanted to be 100% correct. I am back to my original theory, the people impacted are blowing this incident out of proportion to make money, being the greedy society that we are.

This is an interesting perspective, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30215820/, although I do not agree with this msnbc writer, her story lead me to my decision above!

[laura]

I find this Amazon "Glitch" just as is. If you think about it, homosexuality is a huge debate between people. And since something like a book being banned, because banning isnt so present this day in age people get riled up. Amazing being its own company can exclude whatever they see as nessassary, and has anyone thought of what other books amazon has excluded from their list.
" In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude “adult” material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature,"
THis being the response to this explotation, amazon has put back the two books that were off the list. I dont think a company would do this act when its such a touchy subject.
The subject on maybe hackers seems just some word passing around just a silly add on.

[Jacquie Kemper]

Oops! I used this as my journal blog on the 20th. Well, here is an abridged version of what I wrote there.

When Amazon stripped the rankings from over 50,000 alleged ‘adult content’ books, it seemed like something that should be happening in the 1970’s. What did Amazon do with all those books? My first thought; an image of a good old-fashioned book burning, 1940’s hate-filled Hitler style. That is an image many people have when they think of censorship; book burning, hatred and anger against something the masses have been told is evil. How this is possible in today’s market is a mystery. How is this possible at Amazon?

Amazon is known for having a very thorough selection of LGBT literature. It was also known for celebrating diversity. When publishers, authors and bookworms searched for their favorite LGBT books and found the ‘Amazon new business model of censorship and homophobia’ had stripped their favorite or personal titles from the masses, it shocked and confused them.

After phone calls to Amazon, the quandary became even more confusing. It seemed like a sick joke but those who live in a world that rarely understands them and often hates them for reasons unknown, they knew. This was not an accident; this was blatant, outright, homophobic censorship. Amazon implied a childrens book that addresses an often-misunderstood family model of same sex parents is erotica, which is ridiculous. Just a ridiculous as Amazon saying this is all a computer glitch.

Perhaps I am less understanding of Amazon’s short lapse of ‘who buys their products anyways’ reasoning. Perhaps I am less sympathetic to Amazons bad case of blacklisting than some more conservative types might be but I can say I am happy Amazon came to its senses.

[Mary Sladek]

I did not realize that we were supposed to respond to this, so this is why its late. Hopefully will be ok.

My feelings on Amazon choosing to not sell adult content books is absolutely their choice. As with any other company they have the choice to serve or not serve who they please. Its their company. We don't argue and bring lawsuits against businesses that will not serve if a person is not wearing shoes or a shirt. Can you imagine if you go to the opera and see someone wearing a bikini to and sandals? The opera house has the option to turn away the patron. Even bars have the right to serve or not serve who they choose. I am not understanding when a company chooses to not sell certain products it becomes an issue. I believe that even at the college if I showed up in my bathing suit I would be sent home. This is their company, why can they not have the choice to sell certain reading material, and not sell certain material?

[Jake Lough]

I think that Amazon made a mistake and this hole thing is being blown out of porportion. Amazon is a company that makes money and I dont think they make there dissusions of morality run thier company.