Amazon's run by a bunch of frakking morons!

[Turbo]

http://markprobst.livejournal.com/15293.html
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jack...e-notices.html
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=#amazonfail

Summary: Amazon has removed nearly all LGBT-themed books from their search results and rankings under the guise of removing "adult" content. Unfortunately, they have removed childrens' books like Heather Has Two Mommies while leaving decidedly risqué content like Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds or anything by Laurel K. Hamilton up.

Frak this noise.

EDIT: Corrected LA Times link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...yfriendly-books-the-twitterverse-notices.html

 

[Rii]

Your LA Times link isn't working. The first link concedes that many "straight" works of erotica have been removed also. Given that, those works that remain likely do so through human error. In purging thousands of works from the system along such vaguely defined lines it's unsurprising that many false flags, both positive and negative, would be raised. Per the first link GLBT material exists in readily identifiable categories, which would expedite the purging of such works whilst also rendering them more susceptible to false-positive flags. Give them a few weeks to correct the kinks in the system.

 

[Turbo]

Corrected LA times link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...yfriendly-books-the-twitterverse-notices.html

The first link does claim that erotica has been removed, but that is another specific category that has been targeted. It's nothing compared to the entire range of LGBT literature that has been removed (which is practically everything). It also doesn't explain why LGBT literature was initially flagged as "adult" while a large portion of straight literature far more racy than LGBT literature was not flagged as such. Amazon is apparently now claiming a "glitch", despite the fact that this began back in February.

Oh, and the Seattle PI has another link here: http://blog.seattlepi.com/amazon/archives/166259.asp

 

[urbandk]

if it was a glitch, it was an extremely damaging glitch. big money loser for amazon.

 

[Rii]

Corrected LA times link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...yfriendly-books-the-twitterverse-notices.html

Please tell me that isn't a real book cover. Not Unfriendly Fire, the other one.

Amazon is apparently now claiming a "glitch", despite the fact that this began back in February.

It wouldn't be the first time. Wouldn't be the first time an employee projected their personal prejudices through the company either.

 

[IndyJones]

One of the comments at the LA Times link is interesting...

Other people following this story have noticed that books on preventing suicide in gay teens (Dead Boys Can't Dance: Sexual Orientation, Masculinity, and Suicide) were de-ranked, while "A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality" and "Does God Love Michael's Two Daddies?" sail through just fine.

Corrected LA times link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...yfriendly-books-the-twitterverse-notices.html

Please tell me that isn't a real book cover. Not Unfriendly Fire, the other one.

I've never read American Psycho, but I saw the movie with Christian Bale and it did nothing for me.

 

[Rii]

"A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality"

Amazon has a few pages from this book available to read. It's funny stuff.

Corrected LA times link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...yfriendly-books-the-twitterverse-notices.html

Please tell me that isn't a real book cover. Not Unfriendly Fire, the other one.

I've never read American Psycho, but I saw the movie with Christian Bale and it did nothing for me.

It's the size, arrangement, and spacing of the title and author on the cover that I find absurd, no comment on the book (or film) itself.

 

[sidious618]

It's a real cover, sadly. I have the book (haven't read it yet so I can't comment on quality) and the cover is just as terrible as it appears to be.

 

[IndyJones]

It's the size, arrangement, and spacing of the title and author on the cover that I find absurd, no comment on the book (or film) itself.

I'm with you on that.

Doesn't the man on the cover look suspiciously like Guy Pearce?

 

[RJDiogenes]

What, is Amazon turning into WalMart?

If they must do something so asinine, why don't they just use an "adult" [sic] filter, like Google et al?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

People should email/call and complain about it. It does seem like a very stupid move... but on the other hand there are still there if you're looking for them, so at least the haven't just delisted them and stopped people from purchasing them.

 

[apostle83]

As long as they keep this glitch, they'll get business from me.

 

[JAG]

You will be one of the few probably.

 

[Ariadne]

"A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality"

Amazon has a few pages from this book available to read. It's funny stuff.

It does? Where do you click? I'm looking at the Amazon page, and don't see anything about "read a few pages"...

Please tell me that isn't a real book cover. Not Unfriendly Fire, the other one.

I've never read American Psycho, but I saw the movie with Christian Bale and it did nothing for me.

It's the size, arrangement, and spacing of the title and author on the cover that I find absurd, no comment on the book (or film) itself.

It's a bit hard to read.

 

[bigdaddy]

Shouldn't companies learn, don't piss of gays, they will destroy your company.

I'm going to send an email even through I know it won't do anything.

 

[Rii]

"A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality"

Amazon has a few pages from this book available to read. It's funny stuff.

It does? Where do you click? I'm looking at the Amazon page, and don't see anything about "read a few pages"...

The link is below the cover image: "Search inside this book".

 

[Ariadne]

Amazon has a few pages from this book available to read. It's funny stuff.

It does? Where do you click? I'm looking at the Amazon page, and don't see anything about "read a few pages"...

The link is below the cover image: "Search inside this book".

Wow... they suggest having fathers "teach the toddler how to pound a wooden peg into a hole in a pegboard". How... subtle.

 

[Evil_Kirkneivel]

Wow... they suggest having fathers "teach the toddler how to pound a wooden peg into a hole in a pegboard". How... subtle.

You'd think repeatedly pounding that peg into the hole might have the opposite effect.

 

[Ariadne]

Wow... they suggest having fathers "teach the toddler how to pound a wooden peg into a hole in a pegboard". How... subtle.

You'd think repeatedly pounding that peg into the hole might have the opposite effect.

I hadn't thought of it that way. They also talk about how boys that turn out to be gay are grossed out by penises - my understanding was that real gay men are particularly fond of them.

 

[Captain X]

I'd make some noise about the who censorship thing, but I already did that for the unpopular rape simulator game, so anything I said would be redundant, really.