Fox News Channel was first to report Amazon.com has
"an e-book entitled "The Pedophile's Guide to Love and
Pleasure," and shocked consumers across the nation now are calling for a
boycott of the online retail giant" both on their television network and
on their
website.
Their report is based on outraged consumers over the $4.79
Kindle edition book which been on Amazon's website for about two weeks. Since
the report aired, several websites and blogs condemning Amazon have appeared,
and there is a Facebook page titled "!!!Boycott Amazon.com for Selling How
Guide for pedophile" which has quickly grown in popularity.
In a Fox News interview, the author said he was not a
pedophile but wanted to give pedophiles a way to, and we paraphrase, 'conduct
their illegal activity legally.' According to Fox News, Amazon had posted the
following statement: "Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain
books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable"
and "Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however,
we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing
decisions." Both the Amazon.com press release and book were removed from
the Amazon.com website before 11AM Eastern the same day.
Amazon has a self-publishing system which allows anyone to
post and sell almost anything they have written, yet publishing does not
guarantee sales. Considering the number of submissions Amazon.com gets daily,
it is impossible for that company to check everything submitted. Boycott Watch,
however, finds their press release disturbing. While we agree about censorship
being objectionable, there are still limits to free speech as identified in the
US Supreme Court ruling which states you cannot just yell fire in a crowded
theater.
In this case though, the item in question may violate
Amazon's
own guidelines: "Pornography. Pornography; X-rated
movies; home porn; hard-core material, including magazines, that depict graphic
sexual acts; amateur porn; soiled undergarments; sexual aid devices; and
"adult-only" novelty items that are primarily sold through adult-only
novelty stores and erotic boutiques are not permitted. Unrated erotic videos
and DVDs and properly censored erotic artwork and magazines of the type you'd
find at a typical bookstore are permitted. Nudity, graphic titles, and
descriptions must be sufficiently concealed with censor strips on all items
containing such content."
Boycott Watch offers lessons from this case: This is more
than just a matter of free speech. Boycott Watch did not read the book nor
intends to, but the fact is that Amazon sells to anyone, including children.
This item therefore may not only be used to instruct people how to conduct
illegal, but it also poses multiple dangers to children. EBay, for example, has
guidelines and restrictions for postings, and so should Amazon. Amazon should
have been screening for illicit content and while no system is foolproof, the
press release in response to consumer outrage by Amazon.com is simply
ridiculous.
The Amazon.com press release one of the best examples of a
stupid response we have ever seen. The boycott started before Amazon issued
their ridiculous press release for an item they should have caught with
automatic flagging of keywords in titles before it was made available. That was
two mistakes and we are happy to see Amazon.com finally did the right thing,
but it is sad that it only happened after and in response to consumer outrage.
This case does, however, show the power of boycotts since
Amazon blinked and removed the offensive material, but only after the boycott
was announced. At last check, Amazon.com has neither issued an apology; nor
posted new guidelines; nor taken a course of action to prevent items such as
this guide to raping children from their site. The boycott against Amazon.com
therefore has merit and it is now up to Amazon to make amends, but that won't
be easy. Just as pedophiles and other sex offenders never escape their past,
Amazon will have to deal with this situation for a long time. For starters,
Amazon.com needs to immediately fire everyone involved in the writing, approval
and issuing of their press release. |
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