#AmazonFail

[stevekenson]

So, Amazon.com has apparently decided that any book with gay or lesbian content is “adult” material and should be stricken from their sales rankings “In consideration of our entire customer base” (emphasis mine, but words from Amazon.com member services). Because we certainly wouldn’t want to create the impression that fiction or non-fiction portraying gay or lesbian people in a positive light (or, you know, at all) is popular or anything, and I’m sure every Amazon.com customer appreciates being protected from such “adult” content.

Needless to say, Amazon needs to continue to get an earful (and an inbox full) about how such censorship is unacceptable. You can find the petition to protest Amazon’s new “adult” policy on thepetitionsite.com.

Comments

[garan-du.livejournal.com]

Well, now they've done it. They pissed off one of my favorite authors, Lilith Saintcrow. She writes in her blog that she "Just got confirmation that a(n egregiously offensive) book titled “A Parent’s Guide To Preventing Homosexuality” is still searchable and sales-ranked through Amazon. Could we be any more blatant with the agenda, Amazon? I am now moving past horrified to outright disgusted."

[jcstarbrand.livejournal.com]

Thanks for bringing this up, I hadn't heard of it. I've googled the subject and haven't found any other organized direct protests, such as "email this address or call this number".

Let us know if you hear of anything else. Online petitions are notoriously useless, and this one doesn't say how or even if it plans to get the petition to Amazon. What works is flooding their snail- or e-mail inboxes and phone lines. And of course, and actual boycott there's some support.

[rainbear.livejournal.com]

And the backpedaling begins:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6651080.html

I wonder how they'd respond to seeing the response linked above, tho. Hmm.

[mouseferatu.livejournal.com]

If you want something more direct than a petition, here's the page for their customer service e-mail form: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/general-questions.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=508510&type=email&skip=true

I've already e-mailed, myself.

[wyrd-rowyne.livejournal.com]

email sent to CS. although I doubt it will even make it to the appropraite person and petition signed. Thanks for the info.

[jcstarbrand.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, thanks!

Have also run across this:
> This is the email addy you get after slogging through
> all the online barriers: connect-help@amazon.com

[capricorn01984.livejournal.com]

So, is "Gay Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak" (a lovely text if I do say so myself!) on their Adult list?

Witchcraft and homosexual relations, it's surely making some Amazon warehouse worker writhe on the floor.

[xomec.livejournal.com]

Apparently so, since Gay Witchcraft has no Amazon Sales Rank while, say, Sons of the Goddess still does. (To say nothing of the fact that A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality still comes up as the top search item in books with the keyword "homosexual".)

[capricorn01984.livejournal.com]

Ok. So I'm pissed total.

Grrr.

[winterhawk.livejournal.com]

*checks calendar*
*notes year is 2009 and not, say, 1959*
*is disgusted*

[guyinsf.livejournal.com]

Wow. It's amazing what I miss when I'm mostly offline all weekend.

I *just* did a news search and came up with the news that an Amazon representative told Wired, "This is an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error for a company that prides itself on offering complete selection." There is also a hacker claiming responsibility, and no one seems to be sure where the truth lies yet.

See full story on Wired.com (http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/04/hacker-claims-c.html)