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gmw · 01-09-2011, 12:02 AM

Wow! This is some thread. I finally worked my way through it, after having ignored it for too long. Here's what I've learned:

Amazon probably does have the right to drop whatever titles it likes ("titles" being seller-speak for specific books regardless of format).
It's probably not actually a censorship action on Amazon's part, it's more likely to be a business decision based on many factors, most of which we know nothing about. Most book sellers have such policies, and policies can change over time.
Since Amazon are choosing not to make some titles available they should definitely be taken to task for any false advertising to the contrary.
The delayed-reaction nature of Amazon's behaviour does not change any of the above. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it is potentially surprising to those affected.
Everyone, especially the affected author, has a right to an opinion on such action. If enough people express their opinion, in the right way and the right place (not at all sure this is the right place), then Amazon may be persuaded to alter their behaviour - it has happened before, but probable needs to be carefully and specifically targeted.
If I did not intend my book to be controversial then I would probably choose to avoid a book title (as in the big print on the cover) like "How to Rape <someone or something>". Sure it's attention getting, but is it really the sort of attention you want? Such a title is almost guaranteed to offend someone (probably many someones); that much should be obvious, so why be surprised when people are offended? If gaining attention by being offensive-to-some was not your intention, what was?
Despite the previous point, I can certainly understand the surprise that Amazon should react to what sounds like a fairly small public reaction to a title - although I can understand why some people would find the title offensive in and of itself, it may not be an instruction manual but the title sure sounds like one.
It is interesting to compare reactions to censorship in different situations (xref the pedophile book topic), and also to see such interesting challenges to the deceptively simple concept of freedom of speech. That could make an interesting thread on it's own - in a politics and religion forum.
I just love the popcorn emoticon.

01-09-2011, 12:02 AM	#471
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Wow! This is some thread. I finally worked my way through it, after having ignored it for too long. Here's what I've learned: Amazon probably does have the right to drop whatever titles it likes ("titles" being seller-speak for specific books regardless of format). It's probably not actually a censorship action on Amazon's part, it's more likely to be a business decision based on many factors, most of which we know nothing about. Most book sellers have such policies, and policies can change over time. Since Amazon are choosing not to make some titles available they should definitely be taken to task for any false advertising to the contrary. The delayed-reaction nature of Amazon's behaviour does not change any of the above. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it is potentially surprising to those affected. Everyone, especially the affected author, has a right to an opinion on such action. If enough people express their opinion, in the right way and the right place (not at all sure this is the right place), then Amazon may be persuaded to alter their behaviour - it has happened before, but probable needs to be carefully and specifically targeted. If I did not intend my book to be controversial then I would probably choose to avoid a book title (as in the big print on the cover) like "How to Rape <someone or something>". Sure it's attention getting, but is it really the sort of attention you want? Such a title is almost guaranteed to offend someone (probably many someones); that much should be obvious, so why be surprised when people are offended? If gaining attention by being offensive-to-some was not your intention, what was? Despite the previous point, I can certainly understand the surprise that Amazon should react to what sounds like a fairly small public reaction to a title - although I can understand why some people would find the title offensive in and of itself, it may not be an instruction manual but the title sure sounds like one. It is interesting to compare reactions to censorship in different situations (xref the pedophile book topic), and also to see such interesting challenges to the deceptively simple concept of freedom of speech. That could make an interesting thread on it's own - in a politics and religion forum. I just love the popcorn emoticon.