Amazonfail

[Grace]

Well, the twitterverse has been abuzz about this recently, but I figured I'd blog about it here too for people who may not be on twitter. This article I'm linking below explains what's been going on at Amazon, which, as you guys know, is one of the hugest online retailers. It's probably where many HP fans ordered their books. And recently they've implemented a truly unjust policy that's bordering on straight-up censorship.

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/da8nye

So yeah, there's nothing that'll rile me up more than the issue of censorship. How is this censorship, you ask? They're not taking away the right for the book to exist in its original form. It's still on their site, right? But what they're doing is making books harder to find, and also making it so that they are not exposed to the public eye through ranking systems and best seller lists, which is how books get to be big and also how they're considered a success. So basically, when Amazon chooses to de-rank your book based on whatever whim led them to believe that it may contain inappropriate content, it basically screws you over as an author. Books are hard enough to sell (if you're not JKR, that is). Ask Melissa Anelli. Ask John Green. They're both considered successful authors, but it's hardly a millionaire lifestyle. And adding additional hoops for a potential reader to jump through just in order to find your book is practically as bad as actually removing books from library shelves. In HP terms, it's almost as bad as letting Laura Mallory win.

The other thing, and perhaps the main thing mentioned in the article, is the unfairness used in judging inappropriate content. You've got a sociological text about gays in the military that has been de-ranked, while a crime thriller about a sadistic murderer is still ranked. One popular retweet from the twitter user @ravenousromance points out: "THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK is ranked; JOY OF SEX is unranked. Amazon would rather you make napalm than get laid." And yet another twitter user, @pantslesswrock, known in wizard rock circles as Dawlish and the Archies, found this disturbing screen cap when he searched for homosexuality on the Amazon book page: http://tiny.cc/amazonphail

So, yeah. What's up with this? Minus the whole internet aspect, I can totally see this being an issue 100 YEARS AGO, but in 2009? Come on, people.

Whew... calm down, Grace.

Yeah, so, I guess that's just another reason to support your local independent bookseller. You don't have to put up with BS like this.

[Brigid Courtney]

Hi Thought I caught a comment on the internet somewhere that Amazon "accidently" left out books for and about the gay community.. have I got that right... sounds like a prejudiced thing to me

[Jenny Sue]

Ahhhh, why are people determined to suck so hardcore *bangs head on desk* epic fail

[Vanessa]

WOW! That's horrible, thinks for keeping me informed Grace! I'm not a part of the twitterverse, and hadn't even heard of this.