Boycott Amazon!

Unless you aren't on Twitter, then you can't have helped but notice that quite a now growing number of people have been joining in with my campaign to Boycott Amazon.


Why do we think this should happen?


Well, Amazon allow any writer with a few quid and a book to post it on their site in a co-operative movement whereby Amazon will sell your book and you share the profits with them.


Now, I am all for freedom of speech and expression.


But it would appear that Amazon is none to fussy over what titles they sell on site, and profit from.


The latest book called "The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure" has begun a war which I'm sure Amazon was quite unprepared for.


The book, available on Kindle, Amazons own E-Reader device, is supposedly written to show Paedophiles how to go about their depraved and not to mention illegal activities without being caught.


Er,.. hold on, seriously?


Yes, Amazon are basically profiteering from a Criminals Guide to being illegal.


This isn't the only offensive title sold by the International Internet retailer. Other topics which Amazon feels is fine to sell and profit from come from Holocaust Deniers, other sexual deviants (including other tomes for Paedophiles to peruse at their leisure) and also video of graphic dog and cock fighting too, which again is an illegal activity.


When asked, Amazon have said this doesn't contradict their terms of service- but then its hardly surprising when the terms are very loose and not definite to any form of paedophile or illegal materials. 


We have asked several times for Amazon's own incites into this, which has now been removed due to pressure, but there are other books and videos readily available. They have declined to contact me to give their side. 


The book can still be purchased though, its just the page which has been removed. 


We feel that Amazon needs to have full and comprehensive lists of terminology which, if included in a book or video, renders it banned from their site, and not just have a system in place which means they grudgingly remove a title after mass anger and threats of dwindling sales across the site.


It appears they have only removed the book before the full weight of a media storm, seen previously about the same book in the US, starts to really hit their profit margins.


I for one refuse to be a customer or otherwise of a site which profits from illegal or distasteful material, and I urge you to join me and the growing numbers voting with their mouse and deleting their accounts with Amazon- remember if you have a Blogspot Amazon Affiliate scheme membership close it down too! 


And you can let Amazon know what you think by joining the Twitter Tending topic campaign by using the #BoycottAmazon hashtag on your tweets!


You can find more on this story at
BBC Online
Mail Online
Telegraph online


And this excellent post from a US Blogger- http://alaydhien.blogspot.com/2010/11/open-letter-to-amazoncom-re-pedophiles.html