Amazon Quietly Bans Books Containing Undefined ‘Hate Speech’

[Ringo84]

Also see #17.......

I'm aware. What I'm not aware of is what proof there is that this book was banned in the first place.
Ringo

 

[Desk trauma]

See #17......

See post #9

 

[civilwarbuff]

I'm aware. What I'm not aware of is what proof there is that this book was banned in the first place.
Ringo

Hmmmmm.....let's see:

Amazon has adopted a rule against books that contain anything the company labels as “hate speech.” It appears there was no announcement of the new rule. It was only noticed by media after the online retailer recently banned a book that criticizes transgender ideology.

It isn’t clear what Amazon means by “hate speech” or even if it used that label to drop that particular book. In general parlance, Americans hold widely diverging views on what constitutes hate speech, a 2017 Cato poll found.

That's what I thought.....it was explained in the OP.....

 

[Ringo84]

"The Epoch Times".

I've been through this already.
Ringo

 

[civilwarbuff]

See post #9

Uhhhhh, OK.....

I think what civilwarbuff is saying is that Amazon is applying their own standard to what is hate speech. That is a slippery slope that could lead (with a lot of hyperbole) to a "Fahrenheit 451" style purging of all literature. I tend to be more optimistic about this. Amazon has made a lot of money on online book sales and will not willingly wean themselves from that by purging till it hurts. As a capitalist company, they also have the right to sell what they want. There is no mandate that they sell everything, it just seems that way.

That being said, their banning of books cannot be without bias. We all have one. I tend to think that capitalism will overcome this and the books will just move to another less popular platform. The overall result will be an even greater fracture in this country. Right now there are people who will only watch CNN and others that will only watch Fox. As more and more media outlets are seen to be swinging into an ideological approach towards business, there will be others that crop up and further polarize the American political landscape.

Something in particular you wanted me to see in #9?......especially since I wrote this in #17.....

I have no interest in transgender issues so why would I read it? The fact is Amazon 'banned' a book that they thought at least supported/condoned/used hate speech....without any clear guidelines posted and without notification or comment. Now, they are a business and can set their rules as they see fit but the least they could is publish those rules so people can be aware of them.

 

[Desk trauma]

Uhhhhh, OK.....

Something in particular you wanted me to see in #9?......especially since I wrote this in #17.....

... a slippery slope that could lead (with a lot of hyperbole) to a "Fahrenheit 451" style purging of all literature.

 

[essentialsaltes]

not selling =/= banning

 

[cow451]

Lol, like your average modern library is going to do that! Or even a fraction of it. The once presumed "free speech" crowd is now into banning books. Who knew?

Free Speech doesn't mean every retailer has to sell your stuff.

 

[cow451]

In another thread I made note that knowing what other journals are NOT reporting on can be just as important as what they are reporting on......hence reading media that holds an opposing view point is beneficial.

Epoch Times is beneath my dignity.

 

[durangodawood]

Epoch Times is beneath my dignity.

The word has an appealing (to some) end times / millenarian flavor.... if I can get synesthetic for a moment.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Amazon Quietly Bans Books Containing Undefined ‘Hate Speech’
Amazon has adopted a rule against books that contain anything the company labels as “hate speech.” It appears there was no announcement of the new rule. It was only noticed by media after the online retailer recently banned a book that criticizes transgender ideology.

It isn’t clear what Amazon means by “hate speech” or even if it used that label to drop that particular book. In general parlance, Americans hold widely diverging views on what constitutes hate speech, a 2017 Cato poll found.

Thought this was interesting. Comments/thoughts?

The only way to read the story. I have to give them my email. So I looked up Epoch Times.
I won't give my email to far right extremists And cults.

The Epoch Times is a far-right international multi-language newspaper and media company affiliated with the Falun Gong new religious movement, based in Midtown Manhattan.

As for amazon doing the right thing. Good.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

I will also not give Epoch Times my email to read their "story". Would you please post the titles of any specific books mentioned in the article, please? Thanks!

 

[tz620q]

How? Even as large as amazon is they only have control over their own business. Other individuals and businesses are free to publish, sell or give away free of charge books that amazon chose to no longer stock.

I used to love collecting Sci Fi series from the 1920-1960's; but most of them had had a single printing and were so old that you could not buy a new edition. So I found myself browsing used book stores wherever I went. There was something almost magical about finding a book I had been looking for for a long time among the 1000's each store had. Then I learned of alibris, which at the time was just attempting to get the used book stores to inventory their books and post them online. Once that was done, the hard work was over. I had one series where I had found 36 of 37 books over a span of 20 years. It literally took me a few minutes on alibris to find the last book and order it. The higher than average cost could easily be discounted by the saved gas and time. Just like that, something that I had enjoyed doing was gone.

Everyone thought alibris would be the next big internet thing. At that time, Amazon was losing money and did not sell books at all. Then they got in the book market, both new and used. In a matter of a few years, with someone dropping their name as a must buy stock, the price shooting up infusing them with cash, and their using that cash to build a vast empire of online sales, they were dominating the online book sales. Now authors brag about their book being offered on Amazon. All of this is leading up to the fact that we should acknowledge a capitalist society is only viable when competition is free and moderately even. Once one business becomes big enough to monopolize the market, we all suffer. Add to this the thought that this monopoly could start demanding higher and higher royalties for offering the book or flat out censoring what is available, we should all be at least a little nervous.

All that being said, I looked up "The Turner Diaries" on alibris and it is still offered. So I guess Amazon is not too big yet.

 

[SilverBear]

I have no interest in transgender issues so why would I read it? The fact is Amazon 'banned' a book that they thought at least supported/condoned/used hate speech....without any clear guidelines posted and without notification or comment. Now, they are a business and can set their rules as they see fit but the least they could is publish those rules so people can be aware of them.

Did you even look?



they have published the rules:


From Amazon.com content guidelines for books:

Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views. We'll also remove listings that graphically portray violence or victims of violence.
We maintain these policies to ensure a welcoming environment for our global customers and sellers to do business while offering the widest selection of items on earth. We promote trust and respect, as well as adherence to the law.
Examples of products we prohibit:
Products that contain violent or offensive material that has no historical significance.
Products that promote, incite, or glorify hate or violence towards any person or group.
Products that promote intolerance based on race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Products that contain racially derogatory language



those seem like clear guidelines and it took me less than 10 seconds to access these guidelines so your whole "without notification" line just isn't true

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Did you even look?

Of course OP didn't look. Epoch Times told him what to think and how to feel about it.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Here's a better source for what's going on with this:

GOP senators question Amazon on removal of book about 'transgender moment'

Being the poster-child for free-market capitalism, Amazon will:

"Hopefully... run the letter thru the shredder and send it back to them."

 

[Ringo84]

From the description in that article (The Hill isn't great but it's a much better source than Epoch Times), it sounds like this book deserved to be scrapped because it was full of disrespectful, transphobic content - no doubt put there so that the book would be tabled and "conservatives" would have something to whine about.
Ringo

 

[durangodawood]

...Examples of products we prohibit:
Products that contain violent or offensive material that has no historical significance.
Products that promote, incite, or glorify hate or violence towards any person or group.
Products that promote intolerance based on race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Products that contain racially derogatory language...

Hmm, that cuts out a lot of books.

 

[Tanj]

I have no interest in transgender issues so why would I read it? The fact is Amazon 'banned' a book that they thought at least supported/condoned/used hate speech....without any clear guidelines posted and without notification or comment. Now, they are a business and can set their rules as they see fit but the least they could is publish those rules so people can be aware of them.

If you don't like it don't use it. Its called the Free Market. Try it sometime, you might like it....Maybe not though, it means people are free to do stuff you don't like.

 

[civilwarbuff]

not selling =/= banning

No, refusing to sell because it does not meet some unspecified code or rule = banning. You would say the same if the roles were reversed......